


Unconditionally

by zanash



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Developing Relationship, F/M, Family, Friends to Lovers, Head Injury, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Walkers (Walking Dead), Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:48:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 67,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25207216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanash/pseuds/zanash
Summary: When Allison is tasked with caring for an injured & very surly Daryl Dixon, she's less than pleased.  Who knew that he could really be very sweet underneath his deathly scowl?  Common bonds forge a friendship & even love.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 84
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

Allison crawled into her bed with a deep aching of exhaustion that hurt in her bones. She didn’t even bother kicking off her shoes or pulling a blanket over herself. She dropped onto her belly and buried the side of her face in her pillow. For the last two days, she worked non-stop taking care of the sick and the wounded as they trickled in from the run. Some of the group drank water that had not been properly sterilized and they were now suffering the consequences with nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. Thankfully, on one of the previous runs, the group came across a compounding pharmacy so they had a surplus of IV fluids and some much-needed antibiotics. Still, four people were using up the IV fluids right now that wouldn’t be if they had just taken some time to either boil the water or drop some iodine tablets in their canteens. There was also a plethora of people who had various sprains, strains, cuts, bruises, and sunburns. 

Allison had just gotten to that blissful place right before full sleep was about to pull her under when a knock at her door jarred her awake. “What?” she snapped. She knew that she shouldn’t be grumpy, but she was so damn tired. Being the only person with medical training was overwhelming at times. She really needed to talk to Rick about making time to train more people. “Sorry to wake you, Allison,” Tara apologized. “The last of the group is here. The good news is that you only have one injured.” Allison twisted her hair up into a messy bun on top of her head. “What’s the bad news?” Tara offered a regretful smile. “It’s Daryl. He hit his head and probably has a concussion, some cuts, and stuff like that.” Allison sighed hatefully. “Great. Just what I needed.”

Daryl and the remainder of the scouts were bringing up the rear on the way back to Alexandria. Normally, he would have been in the lead, but with four people being seriously ill after making a stupid fucking mistake, Daryl had the most experience outside of the gates, so he volunteered to stay with the stragglers to make sure they made it back safely. One of the guys spotted a thicket on the side of the road that was filled with blackberry bushes. They all agreed that they should pick as much as they could possibly take back as anything edible was always a necessity. Daryl kept watch while the rest of the group picked as much as they could as quickly as they could. One of the guys didn’t pay attention to the edge of the thicket which dropped off to a steep slope. 

Daryl ran over as soon as Nick started slipping. He dropped to his belly and grabbed Nick’s arm, but Nick was in a panic and panic always gets someone hurt. If Nick could have calmed down and listened, Daryl would have told him that he was going to crawl backward to pull him back up to the level ground. Nick was consumed with fear of falling over and in his haste, he pulled himself to safety while dragging Daryl over the edge. As soon as Nick realized that Daryl was in real trouble, Daryl lost his grip and went rolling down the slope. Fortunately, he didn’t roll all the way to the bottom. Unfortunately, he was stopped by a large tree that his head crashed into.

It took the group the rest of the afternoon to fashion a litter and rope system to get Daryl safely back topside. He was unconscious for a while and when he came around he was confused and nauseous. They collectively decided that they would continue traveling to Alexandria rather than waiting out the night. Daryl needed to be seen by Allison as soon as possible. 

Daryl was on one of the few stretchers that had been scavenged from some ambulances they’d run across. Some of the guys were working to get Daryl undressed so Allison could check him for injuries. Daryl was moving about a little, which was a good sign. If he was able to fight what he didn’t want, it meant his brain was working. Allison opened one of his closed eyes and shined a light in it to see how his pupils reacted. “Stop,” Daryl groused, waving his hand over his face. “Daryl, it’s Allison. You have a head injury. I need to check you over.” She checked his other pupil. “Both are equal and reactive. That’s good.” Allison said to herself. He had dried blood caked on one side of his face and all the way down to his neck. She looked through his matted hair to find the source of the bleeding. 

Daryl was coming around the more Allison prodded around his throbbing head. “Will you stop? Fuckin’ head’s killin’ me.” Allison just kept looking as she tried to help him make sense of what she was doing. “I know it hurts, Daryl. I’m trying to get you fixed up.” Tara was trying to help Allison and was carrying over a basin filled with warm water so they could clean his head and suture his wound. Daryl was aggravated and he just wanted to be left alone. He sat up and made a move to try to get off of the stretcher, but dizziness blacked out his vision and before he was even able to register that he was nauseous he threw up. Much to Allison’s dismay, most of his sick ended up down the front of her pants and her shoes. Of course, that would have to wait, Daryl was injured and he needed care. “Did you get it all up?” Allison asked, bracing him with an arm around his bare chest. Daryl hung his head in shame. He hated this and he hated it worse that he was a stubborn jackass sometimes. “Yeah. ‘m sorry.” “It’s ok. Let’s lay you back down. Will that be ok?” Allison spoke softly as she helped him onto his back. “Ok.” Surprised, Allison asked Daryl to hold onto her so she could help him slowly ease back. She feared that any further sudden movements would cause a repeat of moments before. 

Tara and Allison worked diligently and quietly for a few hours, making sure that all of his wounds were tended to and that Daryl was resting. “Go get some sleep,” Tara offered. Allison started to decline, but Tara pointed at her clothes. “And, maybe a shower.” Allison chuckled and nodded. “Come get me in a few hours, or if anything changes with him, ok?” Tara nodded and rushed her out the door.

Allison had never been more grateful for hot, running water than she was when she peeled off her puke-covered clothes and shoes. She stood under the spray and tugged the ponytail holder from her bun and her long auburn locks cascaded down to the middle of her back. As good as the water felt and as much as she wanted to stay in the shower forever, she was simply too tired to do more than wash herself and her hair and crawl into bed.


	2. Chapter 2

Again, it would be another knock that pulled Allison away from sleep. Tara let her sleep longer than she thought she had. “Hey, you good to come back to the infirmary?” Allison yawned and stretched herself awake. “Yeah. Be right there. Is everything ok?” Tara nodded. “Yeah. Daryl’s a little more awake, grumpy, but awake. That’s gotta mean he’s ok, right?” Allison laughed a little. “I’d say so.”

Allison shined the light in his eyes again and it pissed Daryl right off. “Again with this shit?” Allison glared at him for a moment, “This shit lets me know if there’s anything going on with your brain that could be bad. So, yeah, we’re going to do this more than a few times. She checked his reflexes and then looked at his various lacerations that she’d sewn up. Daryl grumbled about every bit of it. Being touched was not something that Daryl was accustomed to, and much to his dismay, he discovered that he was naked when he woke up. He was more worried about someone seeing his back and the roadmap of thick scars than he was of someone seeing his junk. 

“Where’re my clothes?” he grumbled. “My guess is that they went to be burned. They were pretty shredded and pretty gross. Don’t worry, we’ll get you something else to wear.” Daryl replied with a ‘hmmph’ and squinted his eyes. “I’m ready to get outta here. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen for a few days. Not until I know that you’re steady on your feet and you’re not going to vomit from just sitting up.” “ ‘M fine.” Allison stood back and watched Daryl try to sit up. She knew that he was stubborn enough that he would need to figure this out on his own. This time, though, she would stand clear in case his stomach didn’t withstand the movement. 

He swayed to and fro on the side of the stretcher for a moment until he finally gave up and accepted that this was his fate. “Mmmmm,” he moaned through tightly pursed lips. “Nauseous?” He gave Allison the slightest nod. “I can give you something for that.” “Nah. Don’t waste the resources on me. I’ll be alright.” “Tell you what, let’s move you to a real bed and get you settled, then you can decide.” Daryl almost decided to argue, but the look on Allison’s face told him that he wouldn’t win this.

He tucked the sheet around his waist like a towel and draped his blanket around his shoulders to make sure that his back was covered. He didn’t want to talk about it and he damn sure didn’t want anyone’s pity. Allison tried to get him to sit in the wheelchair they had, but he flatly refused. “Ain’t a damn invalid. I can walk.” She wanted to argue with him, but it would be pointless. He was the most stubborn, frustrating man she’d ever met. Anytime she’d ever had to treat him for something, he grumbled the whole time. “Don’t need all this. Don’t need no stitches, just give me a bandaid or somethin’,” he’d say. The time she’d insisted that he needed a tetanus shot was the worst. It was shortly after the turn, and they had several doses of the vaccine from a medical complex they found. It had been a gold-mine as far as medicine and supplies. Daryl somehow managed to find a piece of rusty metal and cut his hand. Once he was cleaned up and the wound closed, he and Allison ended up in a screaming match over him getting a damn shot. “Don’t need it. Ain’t never had a tetanus shot and I’ve been just fine.” He might have gotten shots when he was a baby, or whatever he had to have for school, but after that, he hadn’t really been seen by a doctor. 

That was the only time that Rick ever stepped in to intercede and tell Daryl that it was happening and the best thing he could do is accept it. He had tattoos, so Allison didn’t think that he had a fear of needles, but he looked anywhere but the arm that Allison injected. As soon as she was done, he left like his ass was on fire. He came back and apologized for yelling the next morning, but she felt like Rick had more to do with that than him coming of his own volition. 

She helped him get settled in one of the beds in one of the private rooms. In its former life, the room had been a study, so it was just large enough for a full-size bed, a nightstand, and a chair for a visitor. “How does your head feel?” “How do ya think it feels?” he barked. “Sorry. I know I shouldn’t snap at ya. You’re just helpin’ me.” Allison pulled the chair over and sat down. “It’s ok. It’s kinda your own personal charm.” Daryl scoffed. “I think that beneath all of that tough exterior is someone who cares a whole lot about this group and making sure we’re all taken care of. You got seriously hurt saving Nick. No one as angry as you want us to believe you are would have done that.” Daryl was quiet. She might just have figured out a bit about Daryl that he hadn’t figured out about himself. 

“Let me get you some medicine and then we’ll see about feeding you something a little later.” She didn’t give him a chance to argue. When she returned a few minutes later, Daryl swallowed the pills she gave him and even thanked her. His head was pounding and his stomach was still unhappy about him moving around. “Get some rest, Daryl. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

He slept until dinner was brought to him. Carol came in with a bowl of chicken broth and some ginger tea. “What’s this?” he asked, pouting at the lack of real food. “Allison said that you have been very nauseous. She wanted to start with stuff that would be easy on your stomach first.” Daryl responded with an aggravated grunt. “It won't be long until you get real food, Pookie. Just do what Allison tells you and you’ll be back on your feet in no time.” Carol started out but stopped at the door. “I brought you some clothes. Allison said not to try to get dressed unless someone was with you. She said you might get dizzy and fall. You want me to help?” He started to blush. The last thing he wanted was someone watching him put his clothes on. “Nah. I’ll be alright.” “Just let me know if you change your mind.” Daryl nodded curtly and then he was alone again. 

After he finished his dinner he felt better than he had all day. He thought that he would be perfectly fine to get dressed. It was bad enough that he was cooped up in this room with nothing to do but sleep, being naked was just too weird. He made it to the chair before the room started spinning. He gritted his teeth and tried to push through it, and he was able to get one leg into his pants, but when he tried to get his pants on his other leg the dizziness worsened and he lost his balance.

Allison heard the thump and Daryl groaning all the way at the front of the infirmary. She went running to Daryl’s room, throwing open the door. Daryl was crumpled on the floor facedown, his bare back on full display to her. “Oh, Daryl. You should have waited or hollered for me.” Daryl frantically reached for his shirt, desperate to cover up the part of him that caused him immeasurable shame. “Stop, Daryl. Let me help you.” He kept his head hung and his eyes squeezed shut. “Come on. Let’s sit you up and we’ll take it slow.” Daryl wanted to fight, to lash out, to yell for her to leave, but he just couldn’t do it. She’d seen his scars and there was no going back from that. 

She helped him get onto his butt and to get his shirt on. “Alright, now, you’re gonna do as I say so neither of us gets hurt getting you off the floor. Got it?” With his eyes cast at the floor, he simply nodded. “Wrap your arms around my neck and link your arms. I’m going to hold you under your arms. When I count to three, you’re going to stand up with me.” Allison positioned herself in front of Daryl, in a squat stance. She got Daryl to his feet and made him brace on her while she pulled up his pants. The last thing they needed was for him to end up on the floor again. 

Daryl couldn’t bring himself to look at her once he was back in bed. “Are you ok? Did you hurt yourself when you fell?” He stared at his hands and shook his head. He looked so sad and it broke her heart. She knew that acknowledging his scars would only make it worse for him, so she left it alone. “Daryl, are you sure you’re ok? Do you need anything for pain?” His head was throbbing so badly he could feel his heart beating through his brain. “Yes, please.” He replied so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. “I’ll be right back.” 

Daryl swallowed the pills with a glass of water that Allison gave him. “Still thirsty?” He shook his head. Allison hated that he was so embarrassed. “Daryl, listen, I won’t ask you about it and I won’t bring it up ever again. Just know that if you ever want to talk, I’m here. I’ve been through some stuff, too. I know what it’s like. They aren’t who you are. They’re part of you, and in a lot of ways, they’ve made you stronger. Get some sleep. If you need anything just yell. I’ll be here all night.”


	3. Chapter 3

He lay awake for a long time thinking about what Allison said. Part of him wanted to ask her to come in and talk. He wanted to know what she had been through. He didn’t want to talk about what had been done to him, but he kind of did. He and Carol talked about it some, but he knew her story before she’d ever told it. Hell, everybody saw the bruises on her when they were camped at the quarry. He and Allison had butted heads many times in the past and he regretted it. She was only ever looking out for his best interest, but he had a stubborn streak that was a mile wide. He only wished that stubbornness was the only reason. The fact of the matter was that Daryl didn’t feel worthy. All of his life he was told that he was pathetic and weak and that he didn’t deserve anything good to happen to him. It was a mystery to him when anyone did something nice. He could never trust it. He always felt that there was some ulterior motive behind their kindness. Sure, he’d softened over the years since being with Rick and the group. They showed him what a real family was, and what it was like to be loved. Still, there was that scared little boy that was too afraid to believe in or trust anything that was good would last lingered within him.

He didn’t think that he would get any more sleep that night after sleeping the day away, but he finally drifted off as he thought about how he felt about talking about his past with Allison. Oddly, he hoped that she would come in to check on him so he could at least make a start. As much as he butted heads with her, he respected her. She was the only person with medical training so she became their de facto doctor. She seemed to take it in stride and she worked as hard as she could with the meager medical supplies and equipment they had. When any of the groups went out on runs they looked for books on primitive medicine and field medic guides. Allison was always either taking care of someone or reading any books she could get her hands on so she would learn new ways to care for the community. She worked harder than most people, oftentimes, going without sleep for days at a time. 

Allison couldn’t rest either. She wanted to go back to Daryl and see if he would talk to her. That was one of the problems of being a caregiver. She often found herself getting overly attached to some of her patients. She had been a paramedic back in her former life, so there was the occasion that she transported a frequent flyer, most often, someone who was critically ill. She got to know some of the families of her patients. Sometimes she would be in the middle of a shift and realize that she hadn’t transported a certain patient in a week or so and then would find out that they had passed away. Death was part of her job, but it never got any easier. Not getting attached wasn’t an option for her, her heart was just too big and she genuinely cared about her patients. 

She tried reading for a little while, but she couldn’t focus on the text in front of her. After re-reading the same paragraph five times she tossed the book on her bed and decided that she would go downstairs to check on Daryl. She hated how dejected he’d looked when she found him on the floor and when she left him. No one should ever feel the way that way. Maybe he would still be awake and would want some company even if he didn’t want to talk about anything heavy. She truly wanted him to know that he could trust her. 

Allison quietly made her way down the hall to Daryl’s room and cracked his door just enough to peek inside. He was sleeping and she was taken by how peaceful he looked. All of the lines and hardness was gone from his face. It looked soft and gave her an idea of how he would look if he was happy. She lingered in the door, lost in her thoughts about how she wished she would see him smile and be able to let go of his history of pain and hurt. She watched the slow rise and fall of his chest and grinned at the little noises he was making. Maybe he was dreaming about something that brought him joy. She hoped he was anyway. 

Carol brought him breakfast the next morning. He slept up until she was about to head out of his room. “Not gonna say hi?” His eyes were still mostly shut. The light coming in through the window was boring a hole of agony into his brain. “Good morning,” she chirped, happily. “Did you sleep ok?” “Good enough I guess. ‘S all I did yesterday.” Carol stepped over to help him sit up, but he shook his head. “I’m good. Thanks though.” Once he was sitting up against the headboard, Carol handed him his breakfast. “Allison said that you could probably handle scrambled eggs and toast. She said if this went well you could have a real lunch.” Daryl gave Carol what passed for a smiled for him. “Brought you some ginger tea. Allison said that coffee was a no-go for now.” Daryl growled about that. It was bad enough that he was stuck in this stupid room and couldn’t go out to smoke, but now he couldn’t have coffee either. “Tastes like shit,” he grumbled. Carol pushed some of his hair behind his ear. “I’m sorry. This is temporary. You’ll be up and moving around soon enough. Until you are, you need to rest as much as you can and do whatever Allison says.”

“Hey! You up for going outside for a bit?” Daryl had just finished his breakfast, and so far, it seemed to be happy where it was. Allison saw his door open and popped in to see how he was feeling. “I thought you might be going a little stir crazy in here and that you could use some fresh air.” She was surprised that she wasn’t met with his signature surly glare, instead, he was almost smiling. “That’d be nice.” “Neuro check first, then we go outside. And, you have to sit in the wheelchair. Deal?” “S’pose I don’t have a choice if I wanna bust outta here.” Allison was pleased. Daryl was seemingly in a good mood. “Let’s set you up on the side of the bed and see how you do.” 

Sitting through Allison’s neurological exam was better today. He wasn’t as dizzy as he’d been the day before and he didn’t instantly feel like he was going the hurl when he moved. Maybe everyone was right and he just needed to rest. Even the few steps he had to take to the hall so he could sit in the wheelchair wasn’t horrible. “Thought we’d go out on the back porch so you can sit outside in peace. Is that ok with you?” Daryl nodded, just happy that he was getting out of that room for a little while. 

The warm air felt really good, but the sunshine was hard to deal with, so Allison turned him so the sun was to his back. He was surprised when he saw Allison lighting two cigarettes. “Didn’t know you smoked,” he stated, accepting the smoke with an appreciative nod. “It’s something I haven’t been able to completely kick. I don’t smoke a lot unless I’m really stressed, but I still have to have a few to get through the day.” They sat in companionable silence while they smoked. Allison wasn’t expecting Daryl to talk much, so she was startled when he spoke. “You like doin’ all this medical stuff?” She hoped that he hadn’t seen her jump, but Daryl didn’t let on if he did. “I do. I always knew that I wanted to do something in medicine. Paramedic school was just supposed to be my starting point. I always wanted to go to medical school and I wanted to pay for as much of it as I could so I didn’t have more in student loans than I would make in a lifetime. Once I was working on the rig I loved it and decided to put med school on the back burner for at least a little while. Of course, the whole end of the world happened so I guess medical school has been delayed a little longer,” she chuckled. “I don’t think I could handle that stuff. I mean, I can hunt and gut animals, but humans are different. I’m not so good with cryin’ and all that stuff.” Allison couldn’t help but smile. “It’s not so bad, really. You kind of learn to tune it out and deal with what’s in front of you.” Daryl shook his head. “Nah. Still don’t think I’d be too good at it.” “So, you don’t want me to put you on the list to apprentice here in the clinic?” Daryl scoffed. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure that you wouldn’t want me takin’ care of sick or hurt people. The people probably wouldn’t like it too much either.” 

Allison studied him for a moment. She wondered why he was always so self-deprecating. “You sell yourself too short, Daryl. You already care for the people here and they appreciate you way more than I think you realize.” Daryl gave his usual grunt response and finished his cigarette. “Seriously, Daryl. I hope you know that all of us here know that we have meat on the table because of you. Most of the supplies that come in here are because of you keeping the group safe. You take watch and you protect us. We really should show you just how much we appreciate all that you do for us.” Daryl went quiet and was gnawing at his thumbnail, something that Allison noticed he did when he was nervous or was thinking about something. “Ain’t nothin’. ‘M just doin’ my part.” Allison squatted in front of him so he would have to look into her eyes. “You do more than your part, Daryl. We all recognize that and we all appreciate it.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Mentions of child abuse

Daryl noticed how pretty Allison’s eyes were. He’d never really looked at her before since he almost always looked away unless it was a tense situation and he needed to assert his dominance in some way. Generally speaking, if Daryl Dixon was looking you in the eyes and talking to you, it was much like an alpha dog pissing to mark its territory. He also noticed that it wasn’t just her eyes that were pretty, but that would be something that he kept to himself. There was no way that Allison thought much of him. 

They sat on the back porch for a little while longer. Allison lit them each another cigarette that they enjoyed in peace. They listened to the birds chirping and children playing in the distance. It was nice to just sit there and pretend that the world hadn’t gone to shit. Not a day went by that they weren’t reminded that any second could be their last, so it was a welcomed change of pace for Daryl to be able to relax for once. 

“I know that you probably would like to sit out here all day, but I don’t want you in the bright sunlight for too long. You’re going to have enough issues with headaches, I don’t want to be the cause of one.” Daryl didn’t want to agree, but he knew that Allison was right. “We can come back out tonight if you’re up to it.” Daryl gave her an honest-to-goodness smile. “Thanks, Allison. If you’re not too busy tonight, I’d like that.” She wheeled him back inside and over to the bathroom. “I figured that you might need to, you know, go.” Daryl really did. His bladder had been painfully full the whole time they were outside, but he didn’t want to pass up the chance to sit on the deck. He figured if Allison had gotten a patient he would pee off the porch. It sure as hell wouldn’t be the first time. There was a brief argument about Allison accompanying him to the restroom, but she relented with the promise that he would call for her if he felt dizzy. 

Allison helped him back into his bed and was about to leave so he could sleep, but he stopped her. “You know what you said to me last night? Ya know, about knowing something about what I’ve been through?” Allison looked at him thoughtfully and nodded. “I thought maybe if ya wanted to, and ya weren’t too busy, maybe you could tell me.” He chewed the inside of his bottom lip furiously. Allison knew that it had taken a great deal of nerve for Daryl to ask her to talk with him, so as long as she didn’t get a patient and Daryl was up to it, she would gladly sit and talk with him. She pulled a chair over from the corner of his room and got comfortable. This would take some time.

“It was my dad. Well, technically, he’s my step-dad, but he’s the only father I ever got to know. My bio-dad split when my mother told him that she was pregnant. My step-dad worked with my grandfather and had a thing for my mother. Even after he found out that she was pregnant, he still wanted to be with her. I guess if we’re really being honest here, she abused me too. She didn’t hit me like my step-dad did, but she never loved me. She resented the fact that I stole her youth from her. She told me once that my grandfather sent her to stay with her aunt until I was born, but that was only after he found out that she was too far along to get an abortion.” Allison let out a strained laugh. “I mean, who tells their kid that their grandfather sent their mother away because she was too far along to get an abortion?” Allison took a moment to gather her thoughts and to will her anger to dissipate before she went on. Daryl was silent. He knew how hard this shit was. He had no idea that her life had been so difficult and she was only getting started. “So, I’m not really clear how it all came about, but my grandfather gave my step-dad the blessing to marry my mom, and they did when I was nine months old.” She told him that some of her very earliest memories were of her step-father beating her and her baby sister with a belt. Literally, her sister was a baby and he beat her with a leather belt because she accidentally peed on the couch when she was potty training. “I was four years old and I went to try to stop him because my useless mother wasn’t doing a damn thing. He turned the belt on me and he was hitting me so hard that she finally stepped in. My mom had one of my arms and he had the other and they were yanking me back and forth as hard as they could. I just remember screaming and screaming.”

Allison had to stop again for a minute. This was a memory that she could still hear and feel as though it was just happening. “I remember my mother taking off and leaving my sister and me alone many times because we were driving her crazy, although, I don’t really remember us doing anything to set her off. I had horrid night terrors and nightmares that were very vivid and I was so scared at night, so I had a bed in their bedroom. There were some nights that they decided that they needed to have some alone time, which I get. But rather than waiting until I was asleep and then carrying me to my room, they would lock me out. In my child’s mind, I would see shadows and think that they were coming for me. I would sit outside of their room and cry and scream for them to help me, but all they would say is that I’d better go to bed or I was going to get the belt.” 

Daryl listened intently as Allison told him more stories about her life at home. It seemed that they weren’t all that dissimilar after all. His heart ached for her because he knew what she’d gone through. Somehow, she turned her life around and made herself successful despite it. “I was the first person in my family to graduate high school. My parents had a big family party for me and I really thought that they were proud of me for once. When we got to the school for the ceremony, my step-dad crushed that idea. He came up and wrapped his arm around my shoulders and told me that he was proud of me for getting through high school without getting knocked up. Those were his exact words. I wanted them to be proud of me for my accomplishments, not for refusing to repeat my mother’s mistakes.” Allison stared at her hands and didn’t say anything for a long time. Daryl noticed the way her breath hitched and he hoped that she wasn’t about to cry. He had a soft spot for crying women and he wasn’t sure that Allison would want him to try to comfort her as awkward as he was.

“Sorry you went through all that,” Daryl said quietly. There really wasn’t much more that he could say. “It’s ok, Daryl. I think that maybe it helped me to be a better person. I used to think that when the day came that I had kids, if I had any, that I already knew what not to do.” Allison propped her feet up on the side of his bed and laid her head back, letting out a tired sigh. “You don’t sleep much, do ya?” Allison chuckled. “Nope. Sometimes when I sleep, I’m right back there. I’m still that scared little girl that the shadows are coming for. Stupid, isn’t it? I mean, there are real monsters that could get me, but I’m somehow less afraid of them than I am the dreams.” Daryl surprised himself as much as he did her by reaching over and squeezing her hand. “It’s not stupid. I get it. I don’t sleep much either. ‘Cept for the last couple days, I mean.” 

Daryl chewed on his lip as he thought about where to begin with his own story. It was only fair that he tell her about his own hell. She already knew enough by just having seen his back. He was still holding her hand and, surprisingly, he wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed about it. “My old man was a mean drunk. I don’t remember there ever being a time that I wasn’t scared when I was a kid. He used to beat on my mom. She took it so he’d leave me and my brother alone, but after so much of it she just couldn’t take it anymore and she started drinking. When I was about eight, I was out running the neighborhood with some of the kids that didn’t mind slumming around with me. We were a couple of streets over from my house and we heard all kinds of sirens so we ran over to see what was going on. I was behind most of ‘em because they were on their bikes and I didn’t have one. When I caught up, everyone was just looking at me. My mom liked to smoke in bed with her booze. Guess she passed out with her smoke in her hand and burned the house down. She was just gone. Wasn’t nothing left.”

Allison’s heart broke for the scared, lost little boy he must have been. Now it was her turn to squeeze his hand and let him know that she understood. “My brother was in juvie and nobody could find my old man. He was off on a bender somewhere, so the cops took me to children’s services. They found a foster family that could take me with hardly no notice. They were good people and they took real good care of me. I prayed that they wouldn’t find my old man and that they would adopt me or something. I got to sleep in my own room, in a bed, not just a mattress thrown on the floor. They fed me real good, too. There wasn’t ever anything to eat at home cause all the money went to smokes and booze. Lot of good all that praying did. My old man showed up three days later and children’s services handed me back to him. He found some shithole trailer for us to live in and I was his new punching bag since my mom and Merle weren’t around.” 

Daryl shifted around in bed. He wasn’t one to stand still for too long, much less lie in bed all damn day. He wanted to get up, maybe go for another smoke or something because he didn’t know what to do with himself. “I had to drop out of school in the tenth grade. I was missing too much cause of all the bruises and shit. If there was one thing that my old man hated more than anything, it was anybody snooping around and asking questions about his business. I hated that bastard for it. I made decent enough grades and I wanted to make something of myself and get as far the fuck away from him as I could.”

“So, what did you do?” Allison asked. “There was a guy in town that had a garage. He knew my old man and he knew what a prick he was. He started teaching me how to work on cars and motorcycles. I picked it up real quick. I liked the work and he liked the work I did for him. He had an apartment over the shop and he let me live up there. He even paid me some so I could buy food and shit. I was still working for him when the world went to hell. If it wasn’t for Jim, I don’t know what woulda happened to me. The last time my old man hit me, I went back at him. Hadn’t ever done that before and it kinda scared me. All I kept thinking was that I was gonna kill him. I was tired of running and hiding from him, tired of him beating on me. It made me feel like I wasn’t any better than him, you know?” Allison didn’t agree that Daryl could ever be anything like his father, but she understood the sentiment. 

“What happened to him?” Allison asked after Daryl stopped talking for a bit. “Wrapped his truck around a tree one night. He was drinking and it was raining and he lost control. The hospital called the shop the next day. I asked if I had to claim him, you know, make sure that he was buried and all that. They said that they could say they hadn’t been able to reach his kin and the state would take care of things, so I did that. I guess that was pretty chicken shit of me, but I didn’t want any part of him anymore.” Allison dropped her feet from the bed and leaned forward. “Daryl, he didn’t deserve to have you taking care of him like he mattered. He- the things he did to you, he didn’t deserve a son like you.”

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Allison had Daryl up and walking around the next morning. She agreed to it because he’d gone a whole day without throwing up. “You want to take a shower? Carol brought you some fresh clothes.” A hot shower sounded so good that he immediately agreed. He regretted it once he found out that Allison refused to leave the bathroom once he was in the shower. “You still have a head injury, Daryl. You’ve had some really bad dizzy spells. I’m not leaving you alone in here where you could get seriously hurt.” Daryl scowled and muttered under his breath. Damn woman was determined to get under his skin.

He hung out in the infirmary and watched Allison work for most of the day. The kind of work she did was different than anything he’d ever done and it was interesting to see. One of the new people came in with their little boy. Allison had treated him for an ear infection a couple of nights ago, but he spiked a high fever and became lethargic and it scared his parents. Allison was just checking the kid over when he started having a seizure. It scared Daryl as much as it did the parents, but Allison calmly turned the boy onto his side and talked soothingly to him until it was over. It was nothing to her to just take care of the kid and then make sure that his parents were ok when it was all over. She got his fever down and kept an eye on him for a little while before reassuring his parents and sending them home. 

“How do ya not freak out over that shit?” Daryl asked. She shrugged as she lit them each a cigarette. “There’s no time to freak out. You just have to do what you’re trained to do and hope that it works out like it’s supposed to.” She chuckled at his expression. It was a combination of admiration and confusion. “It’s really not all that different than working on a car. I mean, if you do something wrong you could blow up the whole electrical system.” “I s’pose that makes sense. But, what if you do everything right and it still doesn’t work?” “Then you have to tell yourself that you did everything just the way you were trained and sometimes it just goes that way. You sure I can’t convince you to train to work in the infirmary with me? You’d be good at it.” “Nah. I’m still gonna pass on that,” he laughed. 

Allison checked in on Daryl the next morning. His neuro check was good and he only had a few dizzy spells the day before. “Today’s your lucky day,” she announced. “I’m going to let you go home, but I’m not cutting you loose to go on any runs until I know that the headaches and dizziness are gone. I don’t want you to do anything for at least a few more days. Go slow and build yourself up to doing a little more each day. I’ll check in on you to see how you’re doing.” Daryl was happy to be getting out of the infirmary, but he was already missing their talks. Allison was too if she was being honest. “Maybe you can still come by and hang out on the back porch with me some.” Daryl nodded. “Yeah. I can do that.”


	5. Chapter 5

More than a month went by and Daryl was just getting back from his first run since his accident. It was a short one. They were only gone for a few days, but they found a little strip mall that hadn’t been picked completely clean and they brought back some things that they were getting dangerously low on. They found a store that had nothing but stuff for your house. The truck was loaded down with sheets, blankets, and towels. Allison mentioned that she could always use more of that kind of stuff in the infirmary. They checked the little pharmacy, but there was little of anything left there. They found a few clothing stores and took what they could find. They also found a sporting goods store and Daryl lucked out to find more bolts. He’d been needing new ones for a while now. All in all, it was a good run. He hadn’t had a headache or anything. 

On their way back, Daryl spotted a library and told everyone that they needed to stop and check it out. Allison still needed any medical texts they could get their hands on. She was teaching Tara and Enid what she knew, but they were beginning to have to rely on more primitive medicine than they were on what remained of modern medicine. Daryl told the group what Allison needed and told them to look for that first, then they could look for stuff for the kids. Daryl headed over to the poster at the desk that showed where each section was located. He found what he was looking for and headed that direction with the rest of the group. He found a cart and dumped the books that were on it onto the floor. If there was anything in that pile, they would grab it on their way out. Once the group found the general area they were looking for, they splintered off into smaller groups so they could find more even faster. 

“Allison at the infirmary?” Daryl asked Rick once they were safely back inside the gates. “She is. Are you dizzy or something?” Daryl shook his head. “Nah. Got her a bunch of books and stuff that she said she needed. I just wanted to let her know.” Rick grinned like a fool. He thought that maybe there was something there that even Daryl hadn’t realized yet. Ever since he had gotten hurt, he and Allison got together almost every day. “I’m sure you’ll find her. She lives there, after all.” Daryl furrowed his brow at Rick’s stupid grin and headed off. 

Allison was resting her head against the wall behind the chair she was sitting in. It had been a hell of a long day and her eyes burned from having been open for so long. What she wouldn’t do for a whole night of uninterrupted sleep. She was more tired than she thought she was because she was out cold when Daryl walked in. He started to call out her name when he noticed that she was snoring quietly. The sight of her with her mouth slightly opened and her face completely relaxed made him grin. He couldn’t leave her there to sleep in that chair. He looked around to make sure that no one else was around and started to pick her up to carry her to the room he’d stayed in. It was close, plus, he wasn’t sure if she would appreciate him being in her bedroom. He got his arm under her legs and his other arm under her shoulders and had just started to lift her when she woke up. 

“What the fuck?” she shrieked. Daryl sat her back in the chair and stepped back. “Shit, um, sorry,” he stammered. “Thought you’d sleep better in a bed. Was gonna put you in the one I was in. I mean, ya know, when I was here,” he blushed, looking away. Allison blinked up at him, trying to make sense of what was happening. She had only laid her head back a few minutes ago. “I wasn’t asleep. I was just resting my eyes.” Daryl snorted, “Ya always snore when you rest your eyes?” It was Allison’s turn to scowl and it had Daryl laughing. “I don’t snore, thank you very much.” “If you say so.” Allison stood and stretched and motioned for him to follow her onto the back porch. “You got a headache or something? Did you get dizzy while you were out?” It was just occurring to her that he was back from his run. “Nah, I’m good. I was just coming to let you know that we found a bunch of shit that you wanted.” Out of habit, Allison lit them each a cigarette and handed it to him. “Really?” Daryl smiled at the way her eyes lit up. It always made him feel good when they had a successful run, but the joy on her face made him feel something different. “Yeah, found ya a bunch of books that you were asking for. Got a ton of sheets and towels, too.” 

Daryl wasn’t ready for Allison to show her appreciation the way she did. She dropped her cigarette and launched herself into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and thanking him over and over. “It’s just some books.” He blushed furiously, even the tips of his ears were bright red. “Daryl, it’s way more than just some books and you know it. It means that I can successfully teach people how to treat patients. With more towels and sheets we won’t have to launder them so often or risk running out when we’re in a crunch.” Daryl had never been great with physical contact, especially not like this, and he was completely unsure exactly what he was supposed to do, so he just kind of patted her back. God, he felt like a jackass. He’d like to do more but he wasn’t sure what those particular feelings were all about. Why did shit have to be so damn confusing?

Allison noted his awkwardness and graciously stepped back, not letting on that she was saving him from embarrassing himself. “Let me make you dinner one night,” she suggested. “I want to thank you for what you did.” Daryl tilted his head to the side the tiniest bit and a crooked little grin tugged up one corner of his mouth. “Ya just did. Don’t gotta do nothin’ special.” Allison picked up her dropped cigarette and re-lit it. “I want to, Daryl. If I can train more people here, that means I can dedicate more time to learning more ways to keep us all safe and healthy. I spend so much time panicking over how I’m going to handle something I know nothing about it’s not even funny.” Daryl studied her and the way her body tensed up when she told him that. “Is that another reason you don’t sleep much?” She kept her gaze on the wooden porch and reluctantly nodded. “I’ll have dinner with ya.” He said it in that low way that said he understood why it was so important to her. Allison beamed. Her deep dimples and the way her eyes sparkled made Daryl feel something in his belly. It was like little flutters and heat. “Tomorrow night? Is that good for you?” Daryl gave her a short nod and told her to get some sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Tara and Enid were busy all day helping Allison organize books and setting aside the ones they would need to for studying. Once the books were put away, they had to completely reorganize the linen closet to accommodate all of the new towels, sheets, and blankets. They quickly decided on putting together complete sets in each of the rooms. They folded a sheet set and a blanket and stuffed it into one of the pillowcases and put a set in each of the closets with a couple of towels and washcloths. At least it would make for easier bedding changes when the time came. 

By late afternoon, they were finally finished. Allison gave Tara and Enid their assignment so they could study for the next day. She saw them off and headed to get ready for dinner. Moving all of those books and dusting the shelves and then sweeping the floors had left her sweaty and dirty. First, she needed to go to Olivia’s to get some things for herself and for dinner. Olivia wasn’t there so she just helped herself to what she needed and noted it all on the list. She grabbed a disposable razor, some body wash and matching lotion that someone had gotten on one of the runs. They had come across a few stores and someone had the wherewithal to go into a shop that only had bath stuff and candles. Thankfully, it was one of the times that they had a truck right there with them, so they emptied the place. Thinking it over for a second, she grabbed a couple of candles. It couldn’t hurt. Once she had the items she needed for herself, she went to the food shelves and found just what she was looking for.

Allison took a long, leisurely shower, reveling in the scent of the body wash. She shaved and made certain that she didn’t miss anywhere. She even took the time to neaten up between her legs. She didn’t really know why she was doing it. She didn’t expect anything to happen. Sure, she liked Daryl, but they were friends and she didn’t think he saw her as anything more than that. She didn’t know if she thought anything more than that either. So, why was she doing all of this? She found that she couldn’t answer that question. It just seemed that this was what she was supposed to do. After her shower, she sat on the side of the tub and massaged lotion into every inch of her skin. She smelled like jasmine and vanilla, and she hoped that Daryl would like it. Again, why was she so worried about what Daryl would or wouldn’t like on her?

Allison decided against getting dressed until after she made dinner. She had never been the neatest cook and always ended up with something spilled or splattered on her. She was making spaghetti with some of the pepperoni that Olivia made from a boar that Daryl had hunted. She chopped fresh tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, and basil from the garden and added to the jar of sauce to make it more palatable. Carol agreed to make her a loaf of bread when she found out that she was making dinner for Daryl. Carol was excited to hear it. She thought that Daryl needed someone to make him happy and she hoped that this meant that things were headed in that direction.

Carol added another task to her day. After she found out that Daryl was going to have dinner with Allison, she too, made a trip over to Olivia’s. Daryl would need something to wash up with and he needed something decent to wear. If she had to hose him off in the damn yard, he would go to dinner smelling nice. She smelled a variety of masculine scented body washes and chose the one she thought best suited him. She went to the back of the garage where the clothes were kept and found him a pair of nice jeans and a button-down shirt. She was determined that she was going to nudge him in the right direction. There had been a time when she thought that maybe there was something more between her and Daryl, but she realized that she was more comfortable being friends than trying to make something work that might not be there and then losing him completely. She was happy that Allison was doing this. She really wanted to see Daryl have a bit of happiness and love in his life. He deserved it more than anyone she knew. 

Daryl opened his door and found Carol smiling up at him. “Hey,” he said as he stepped back so she could come inside. “I brought you some things that you need for tonight.” Daryl’s brow furrowed and he wondered how she knew. “It’s just dinner,” he replied flatly. “Daryl, when a pretty girl makes you dinner to thank you, it’s more than just dinner. I brought you some soap that smells really good, and I brought you something nice to wear.” Daryl huffed, sounding aggravated that she knew about his plans for tonight. What was wrong with what he had on? Plus, he’d taken a shower already. Did he need to take another with the stuff she brought? He only ever used plain soap because he hunted and he needed to not scare all the animals off by smelling like some kind of male whore. 

Carol pushed the clothes and body wash into his hands. “I went over to see Allison to get something to put on the cut on my finger and she asked if I would mind making her some bread. When I asked if she wanted any kind, in particular, she mentioned that she wanted the kind that you like.” Daryl’s lips were pressed into a thin line. He knew that what she said meant that she pried Allison to find out why she wanted the bread he liked. “What?” Carol chuckled. “I asked an innocent question and she told me that she was making dinner for you to thank you for everything you got for the infirmary.” Daryl responded with his signature growl. “Now, go on and get cleaned up. If you want, I can give you a haircut after you get showered.” “Nah, I’ll pass. My hair’s fine.” Carol shook her head. “If you say so. I won’t press it though. Now, go on and get ready.”

Allison was wearing a pretty light blue sundress with red, yellow, and white flowers on it. It had capped sleeves that had a little ruffle at the edge and just covered her shoulders. The front was low and showed off a little bit of cleavage. She wore a pair of sandals with sparkly straps. There were very few opportunities to ever dress up, so when there were, Allison was thrilled. She flipped her head and tousled her hair to fluff it up a little and checked the mirror one last time. Dinner was ready, now she just had to wait for Daryl to arrive. 

Allison lived above the infirmary. The infirmary was on the first floor of the three-story house. No one ever knocked on the door at the infirmary, they just came in and called out for her if she wasn’t down there. Daryl walked softly and quietly from all of his years of hunting. She didn’t hear him coming up the stairs and she didn’t hear him when he walked into the kitchen. She was putting the final touches on the table, lighting one of the scented candles in the center. She took a step back to make sure it was perfect and she stepped right back into Daryl. 

She screamed and spun around on her heel to see what she had just backed into and instinctively reached for her knife that was not on her hip. “Relax,” Daryl said gently. “It’s just me.” Her heart was hammering in her chest and she breathed hard. “Holy shit, you scared me!” Daryl went from being embarrassed about startling her to being in awe of how pretty she looked. Her hair was down and he couldn’t remember ever seeing it that way. It was long, falling in dark auburn waves down to the middle of her back. She was wearing a dress and he could see her silky skin. Skin that he’d caught a whiff of when she backed into him. She smelled like sweet flowers. It was a few moments before they each realized that they were standing there gawking at one another. “Dinner’s ready if you’re hungry now,” Allison said once she found her voice. She held out her hand showing him where to sit. “I hope the spaghetti is ok. I dressed it up a little so it’s not just noodles and a jar of sauce.” Daryl sat down, unable to take his eyes off of her. The little flutters he’d felt before were nothing compared to the full flips his stomach was doing now. Why did she have to be so pretty? And, why did she have to have so much skin showing? Good lord, he would be damn lucky to make it through dinner without getting hard. How the hell would he take care of that without her noticing?

“Daryl? Are you ok?” He shook off his thoughts and apologized. “Sorry about that. I was just thinking about something.” Allison laughed. “Well, I was asking if you wanted tea or lemonade. It’s all I have except for water, of course.” “Tea’s fine.” Daryl sounded off. He sounded distracted and that was something she’d never heard from him. She brought his glass of tea and tilted his head back so she could look at his eyes. “Do you have a headache?” she asked with concern. “No, no… I’m, umm, sorry… You just look so different.” His eyes softened and Allison stepped back, blushing a little. “You look really good tonight, Daryl.” Daryl scoffed and dropped his head. “Stop,” he murmured. “You stop,” Allison said as she made him look at her again. “You do. You’re a really good looking guy. It’s about time somebody told you that.” Allison cringed inwardly. Jesus, she thought. I sound like a schoolgirl with a crush. 

Daryl just sat there looking at her for a long time. So long that Allison was sure that he was trying to come up with a way to get out of there without hurting her feelings. She just had to go and let her mouth run without first contacting her brain for approval. “You’re beautiful, Allison.” Just when she was about to give him an out so he wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or guilty, he had to go and say something that she was fairly certain he’d never said to anyone. “I… You really think so?” she asked, feeling stupid. “Yeah. I do.” She smiled as he continued to look into her eyes. “Thank you, Daryl.” 

They ate in awkward silence for a while, neither knowing quite what to say. “Is the food ok? I wasn’t sure about the pepperoni, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.” Daryl had to force himself to slow down and eat like he wasn’t about to have to take down a herd of walkers. “It’s really good,” he nodded. “I like all the stuff you put in it.” Allison was relieved to hear that he liked it. “Tara, Enid, and I got all the books and stuff put away today.” “Shoulda got me. I would have helped. All those books were heavy.” Allison shook her head. “Well, we only moved them a few at a time, plus, you got them for us. You already did the hard part.” 

After dinner, Allison suggested that they sit in the living room. “I have a few movies and an old laptop that still keeps a charge if you want to watch something,” she offered. She didn’t want the night to end just yet. She really liked his company and he was looking damn sexy in his jeans and a button-down shirt. She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he thought about her as more than a friend since he’d gotten dressed up for dinner with her. 

Allison had more than just a few movies. She actually had a pretty decent selection compliments of the previous owners. Daryl looked through and decided on The X Files. It was a show that he used to watch all the time after work. It didn’t matter to him that he’d seen all the episodes several times each, he liked it. “Good choice,” Allison grinned. “It’s one of my guilty pleasures. I used to watch it all the time.” Daryl had to laugh. “I was just thinking about how I used to watch it after I got off work. I‘d go up to my apartment and wash all the grease off and then lay on my couch and watch this for hours.” “Seriously! I wonder what else we have in common?” Daryl smirked. Tonight was going better than he thought it would. 

They sat comfortably beside one another and discussed the finer points of each of the episodes and laughed when they found that they shared almost the same opinions. Three episodes in, Allison had an idea. “Stay here. I’ve got a surprise.” She darted into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of shot glasses and a bottle of Jack that she found when she moved in. It was unopened and she thought that this was the perfect occasion to open it. 

Daryl shifted a bit uncomfortably on the couch when she returned with the bottle of liquor. “You trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?” he joked. “Well, I can only do one shot, but I thought that it’d be nice to break it open with you tonight.” Daryl shrugged his shoulder and agreed. “Good ‘o night as any. Want me to do the honors?” Allison handed him the bottle and set the shot glasses on the coffee table. After the drinks were poured, Daryl handed one to Allison. “So, what should we drink to?” Allison thought for a second. “How about new beginnings? I mean, you and I have been through some shit. Maybe now we get to have a little bit of happiness.” Daryl nodded and even grinned a little. He liked the idea of her toast, but he never believed that happiness was meant for him. If Allison believed it was possible, he would try. They clinked their glasses together and downed their shots. Allison made a face and her whole body shuddered. “Lightweight,” Daryl laughed. “Yeah, there’s more than one reason I’m limiting myself to one shot.” 

They went out on her deck and smoked a cigarette together and Daryl noticed her yawn. “It’s getting late. I should probably go so you can get some sleep.” Allison tried to think of a way to get him to stay a little longer, but he was probably tired too. “Well, any time you want to come over and watch The X Files, you know where I live.” Allison walked him to the door and he turned to thank her for dinner. His heart was pounding and his hands were sweaty. She looked so damn pretty and she was peeking up at him through her long, dark lashes. She put her hand on his forearm and Daryl felt like everything stopped. 

He was looking down at Allison with hooded eyes. He’d never felt this kind of draw to a person. He didn’t know how it happened, but his hand was on her cheek and he was leaning in to kiss her. It was happening and, yet, he didn’t feel like he was responsible for making it happen. Allison tilted her head back and met his lips with hers. It was sweet and tender, leaving her breathless. She felt his lips move and she thought he was breaking their kiss, but then she felt his tongue on her bottom lip and she opened her mouth to him. Soon, Daryl’s other hand was on her small waist and she could hear him breathing hard. She grasped his shirt with both of her hands and pulled him closer. Their tongues gliding together in a perfect dance as though they had always been doing this. 

Daryl pulled away first and looked at Allison. Her head was still tilted back and her eyes were closed. Her lips were slightly parted and puffy now. He kissed them once more. “Night, Allison.” It took her a moment to find her way back to reality and she felt his hands leaving her. “Good night, Daryl.” Everything in her wanted him to stay, but she knew that Daryl was not a man that could be rushed into anything like this. Whatever this was. All she knew was that no one had ever made her feel the way Daryl did when he kissed her just now.


	7. Chapter 7

Daryl walked back to his house on autopilot. Thoughts of Allison and the way lips felt on him, the way she sighed, and the way she pulled on his shirt had him feeling all kinds of things. Mostly, right now, he was feeling all kinds of turned on and his jeans were choking his dick to death. He got inside and closed the door behind him. He didn’t waste time with lights or any of that, he knew where everything was. He went up to his room and shut his door, locking it for good measure. No one ever came in, but he wasn’t going to take the chance that someone might this time. He undressed as quickly as he could and laid back on the cool sheets. Images of Allison played over on a loop in his mind. He could still smell her, feel her, and hear the way she breathed when he kissed her. 

He gripped his shaft in his hand, rubbing his thumb over the tip and spreading his precum around to use it as lube. He let out a sigh and his body shook at the sensation. He thought of what could have happened. He imagined carrying her to the couch with her legs wrapped around his waist, kissing her the whole way. The way her hair would feel in his hands. The way that her body would feel against his. He groaned and began stroking himself faster as more and more thoughts of Allison filled his mind. He thought about the way he felt when he kissed her and the way the world stood still. All of this was such a new set of emotions and feelings and it was all so good. 

Daryl’s thoughts were of Allison’s hand stroking him off. She was straddling him, face to face, he could see her watching his expressions and smiling at the noises she was causing him to make. She raised up on her knees and slid her tongue across his parted lips and then whispered something against them. He couldn’t make out what it was, but he was so wound up by how she was making him feel that he couldn’t ask her to repeat it. “Come on, baby. I want you to cum all over me.” He forced his eyes open in his fantasy and found that she was only wearing a tiny pair of panties. Her tits were full and her nipples were perky and pink. “Oh, Daryl. Baby, I want to feel it all over my chest. Please, baby. Give it to me.” She pleaded in such a sultry way that he couldn’t deny her a second longer. In reality and in fantasy, Daryl’s head was thrown back and he was moaning with abandon. He was right there and he could feel Allison’s silky smooth skin on his and her breath was warm and smelled of the whiskey they’d shared earlier. “Give me what I want, Daryl. Please, baby.” 

Daryl was out of breath and his hand and stomach were covered with his release. He grabbed a t-shirt from the floor and cleaned himself off. He felt all kinds of weird and a little guilty for his little living out his little fantasy, but Allison was firmly planted in his brain, and damned if she wasn’t doing something to his heart. All of this was something new for him and he didn’t know how to do any of it. He never cared about settling down or any of that, never had time for it really. There were the occasional bar hook-ups that Merle practically forced on him, but never even an overnight fling. As Daryl began to slowly drift off to sleep, he thought about how he wanted more with Allison. If he was going to do this right, he was going to need advice. He didn’t want everyone knowing all of his business, though. He didn’t think it would be fair for a new relationship to have the added pressure of other’s expectations.

“Mornin’, Daryl!” Rick called out. After sleeping on it, Daryl knew that asking Rick for some general advice was his best course of action. Rick would be the best person to talk to. He was his brother and he would be discreet. Daryl tipped his chin in response to Rick’s greeting. “You got a minute?” Rick nodded and brushed the dirt off of his hands. He was working in the garden this morning. There were no runs or anything big that needed to be done today, so they would all just be working on the day-to-day things that always needed to get done. “Come and pull up a patch of grass.” Daryl sat beside his best friend and was lost on how to even start this conversation. Rick studied Daryl, knowing that there was something heavy on his mind and that he was having a hard time getting his thoughts in order.

“What’s on your mind, brother?” Daryl fiddled with a piece of grass and tried to think of the best place to start, but nothing even sounded right in his mind, so he just went with the first thing he could think of to ask. “When you and Lori, um, ya know, got together. What, I mean, how did you do things?” Ah! So, Rick thought, he was right about Daryl and Allison. Daryl finally caught feelings for someone. Daryl started to feel put off by the way Rick just sat there staring at him with a goofy grin on his face. “Just forget I asked,” Daryl muttered and started to get up, but Rick put his hand on his shoulder. “I’m not poking fun. I’m happy for you. This is great news.” Daryl settled back down and gave Rick a side-eyed glance to make sure that he wasn’t about to start laughing at him. He was relieved to see that Rick looked sincere. “So, am I to take it that we’re talking about Allison?” Daryl nodded ever so slightly. “She’s a hell of a woman. You two would be good for each other.” Rick waited to see if Daryl would ask for particulars, but when he didn’t, Rick took the lead. 

“I guess you might not have a whole lot of experience with relationships, huh?” “Nah. Was always working or trying to keep Merle outta trouble. I mean, I ain’t a virgin or nothin’, but never had nothin’ steady.” That was pretty much what Rick expected. “That’s not a bad thing if that’s what you’re worried about. Listen, even if you had a whole list of past relationships this would still be just as new. Every relationship is different and you have to learn things about each other and yourself.” Daryl thought about that and it made a lot of sense. That took some of the pressure off. “My suggestion is that you and Allison get to know each other. If it feels right, do it. These days, time is even more precious. And, I know that this is a hard thing for you, but communication is key to any relationship. Even if she learns to read you like a book, she still can’t read your mind. She’ll want to hear the things you’re thinking about or even the things that you’re worried about. She’s smart and always thinking ahead. Her insight might turn out to be just what you need. You have to talk to each other about the things you like and the things you don’t. You saw how things were for Lori and me at the end. You don’t want to live with those kinds of regrets. Don’t ever shut each other out.” 

Daryl looked over at Rick and saw the weight of that particular sadness and knew that Rick was right. If he was going to make this work, he was going to have to learn how to communicate better. He felt like he and Allison were already had a good start, though. He had told her a bit about his past, and that wasn’t something he shared with anyone. “What do I do? I mean, she made me dinner last night. I don’t really cook, so what can I do?” Rick thought on it for a second and had an idea. “You could pick her some flowers and have Carol show you how to make some cookies or something. She’ll appreciate any effort you make.” Rick had given Daryl a lot to think about, so he thanked Rick and got up to leave. “Hey, Daryl,” Rick called as Daryl started off. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make things work. Just let things happen and go with it. If it feels forced, it’ll fall apart on you. I’m always around if you need to talk.”

Carol had no idea that someone who could be so methodical while hunting could be so terrible in the kitchen. Right after his talk with Rick, he went straight to Carol. She was already baking some bread and making casseroles for tonight’s dinner. “Hey, Daryl. I didn’t expect to see you. What’s up?” Somehow, after everything she had been through, Carol had found a way to be happy here. Daryl was glad of it. Lord knew that she had lost enough and cried more tears than any one person should ever have to. “Hey. I was wondering if you could help me with somethin’.” Daryl was squirming and it made Carol smile even more. Her woman’s intuition was telling her that he needed help with something for Allison. “Of course. What do you need?” Daryl told her about Rick’s idea for making Allison some cookies or something. “Oh, Daryl! That’s a fantastic idea! I would love to teach you how to make something for her.” Carol tapped her bottom lip with her finger as she thought about what she could teach him. “Tell you what, give me an hour so I can get everything we need and come back here.” 

While he waited on Carol, Daryl headed off to see if there were any flowers growing around. He never paid any attention to notice if there were. There were some growing on bushes and stuff in front of some of the houses, but he didn’t want to be noticed picking them. While he was looking off to his right, he walked right into Aaron. “Sorry ‘bout that.” Aaron chuckled and looked quizzically at the archer. For someone who was normally so observant, he certainly seemed distracted. “Looking for something?” Aaron asked. Shit. So much for discretion. At least he knew Aaron well enough to know that he would keep any secrets. Daryl sighed, frustrated. “Where can I find some flowers? And, don’t go tellin’ anybody I asked.” Aaron held up his hands and swore he wouldn’t tell a soul. “Come with me. Since Eric hasn’t been able to do very much because of his ankle, he’s taken up gardening.” Daryl had the most confused look on his face Aaron had ever seen. “I thought that was like a chick thing,” Daryl asked in his own way. If Aaron didn’t know Daryl better, he might have been offended, but he knew Daryl didn’t have a very progressive upbringing. “What? No! There are lots of men who even did it competitively. It’s very relaxing. I’m sure that Eric would love to teach you about it if you wanted.” Daryl shook his head. “Nah, I’ll pass. Don’t think it’d be my thing.” 

Aaron took Daryl into his and Eric’s backyard and asked Eric if he would mind cutting a bouquet for Daryl. While Daryl looked around at all of the different bushes and vines, Aaron told Eric that there was apparently a love interest in Daryl’s life. “Sure! I’d be happy to put something together for you, Daryl.” “Thanks,” Daryl quietly said. 

With the flowers in a jar of water, Carol watched helplessly as Daryl basically destroyed her kitchen. “Jesus, Daryl! They’re just cookies. How have you made such a mess?” He looked so lost and almost vulnerable and Carol busted out laughing. “The hell’s so funny?” The more Daryl scowled, the more Carol laughed. “Oh, Daryl! I don’t know how you managed it, but you’ve made a bigger mess than Sophia did the first time she helped me make a cake.” She came over and peeked at the baking sheet to see how his cookies had turned out. “Well, for all of the mess you made, your cookies look really good. Let’s try one and see how they are.” She blew on it to cool it off a little before she took a bite. It was soft and chewy, just like it was supposed to be. Daryl watched impatiently until she swallowed her bite. “Well?” Carol smiled and squeezed his arm. “You did good, Daryl. Allison is going to love them. Now, let’s box them up.”

Allison was going over trauma protocols when Daryl popped in at the infirmary. Allison spotted him right away. “Keep reading over this chapter and I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she told them distractedly. She waved Daryl in motioning for them to go out back where they could talk privately. “How are you today?” she asked. She was quite happy to see him. Maybe this meant that he was happy about the way last night had gone. He was smiling, so she hoped. “Good. I’m real good. How are you?” There was that little bit of awkwardness that she simply adored. “I’m good, too. I actually slept last night.” Daryl leaned up against the porch railing and tilted his head. “Oh yeah? Why do ya think that is?” She blushed and bit her bottom lip. “Well, it might be because I had a really good time last night.” Daryl looked at her through his eyelashes with his sexy as hell crooked grin. “Really?” Allison nodded. “Yeah. I really did.” This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you, Daryl.” He shrugged his shoulders, “ ‘s nothin’. Hope ya like ‘em.” She carefully opened the container and bit into one. “These are so good! I’m gonna save the rest and bring them tonight.” She raised up on her toes and kissed him. It was all she’d been able to think about since last night. “I’ll come get ya and walk you up if you want,” he offered. “I’d love that. I can’t wait.”


	8. Chapter 8

Allison ran upstairs to get ready once she made plans with Tara and Enid putting them in charge of the infirmary for the evening. They would stay and keep an eye on things and they would come to get her if things got crazy. 

After a quick shower, Allison went to her closet to choose something to wear. She had a few more sundresses that she really liked but never got to wear. She chose the pretty pale aqua one with the big pastel cabbage roses. She had never worn it for obvious reasons, but she had a reason tonight. It only had little spaghetti straps and the back plunged open to the waist, so she couldn’t wear a bra with it. Good thing for her that she had never had really big boobs and the zombie apocalypse diet had slimmed down her already slender figure and shrunk her boobs even more. It was fine with her. It was just something that she wouldn’t have to worry about. 

The dress fit her perfectly and Allison loved the way it looked on her. She slipped on the sandals she’d worn the previous night and lamented over not having any nail polish to paint her toenails. Oh well, it’s not like Daryl would be paying attention to her toes. She decided to leave her hair down again. Daryl seemed to like it that way. 

She was standing in her living room looking over the movie selection to pick out a few to take with her to Daryl’s. She grabbed the next disk of The X Files as an obvious choice, but she wanted to take a few other options just in case. Daryl stood in the doorway and knocked lightly on the frame. “Hey, you!” Allison said with a great big smile. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt that strained against the width of his shoulders and his bulging muscles. “Want to come pick out some movies?” she invited. Daryl gnawed on his bottom lip and nodded as he walked over. He was left speechless by her beauty. The dress she was wearing showed even more skin than the one she’d worn last night. The back was open and it only came down to her mid-thighs. Good lord, he thought, there’s going to be a repeat of last night’s bedtime activities. 

They talked a bit as they walked to Daryl’s house. He was mentally going from room-to-room, for the millionth time, checking to make sure that everything was neat and in order. He carried the movies in one hand and Allison surprised him by linking her fingers with his. It was such an odd feeling to have someone hold his hand, but Allison was smiling and she looked so happy that he relaxed and went with it. 

Daryl’s house was at the end of the block. He chose that one because, for now, he didn’t have any immediate neighbors. Plus, he was near one of the walls so he could hear if there were any problems. He kept a surprisingly tidy home. It looked as though it was still showroom ready for an open house or something. There was a faint scent of him throughout. It was masculine and woodsy and had a hint of tobacco, not cigarette smoke, but like tobacco drying in a barn. The living room was large and open and very warm. The walls were painted a neutral pale gray and the ceiling was coffered with recessed lighting that could be dimmed or brightened for the occasion. The furniture still looked brand new. There wasn’t so much of an imprint on one of the cushions where Daryl might have sat. The kitchen and dining room were just off of the living room, and they were in just as immaculate condition. Allison took it all in with quiet approval. It wasn’t what she expected, but then again, she didn’t know what she had expected. Maybe a bit more of Daryl scattered about. He has always given off the impression that he was a little chaotic in some ways.

“You still with me?” Daryl asked with a little chuckle. Allison shook away her thoughts and squeezed his hand. “Sorry. I guess I just got a little lost in my own head for a second.” Daryl walked them into the kitchen and offered her something to drink. “Carol fixed us up since I’m not so great in the kitchen. She made chicken and dumplings for us to have for dinner. Hope that’s ok.” He had the cutest lopsided grin and was looking at her through his eyelashes. “It sounds perfect.” 

They took their tea and headed to the living room to start a movie since neither of them was hungry at the moment. They decided on a movie called ‘Gone Girl’. Allison had read the book and it was one of her favorites, but she never got around to seeing the movie. It sounded interesting enough to Daryl. There was a little space between them and Allison eyed Daryl’s right hand and slipped her fingers between his. She watched as his tiny dimple appeared in his cheek. Soon, they were slowly inching towards one another until their thighs were pressed together. She felt like a teenager on her first date with the boy she’d been privately crushing on. There was an electrical charge surging from their fingertips and it was making her heart flutter. God, she felt so silly and ridiculous, but at the same time, she felt happy and alive and it was exhilarating. 

Daryl was willing his hands not to sweat. Everything about Allison was beautiful and perfect and he didn’t want to mess this up. Whenever he was around her he felt something he couldn’t explain. Happy feelings weren’t the kinds of feelings he was accustomed to and he didn’t know how to properly respond to them or even how to reciprocate. He repeated Rick’s advice like a mantra in his mind. If it feels right, do it. He wanted to do more than just hold her hand, but he didn’t want to push things too fast. He started rubbing his thumb back and forth across her knuckles and the back of her hand. Her skin was impossibly soft. Allison seemed pleased by it. 

The longer the movie went on, the more he allowed his hand to venture. Allison was sitting with one leg folded underneath her and their hands were on her knee. He was now stroking his thumb over the place where her knee was bent. He watched more of Allison than he did the movie. Not that the movie wasn’t interesting, Allison was simply too much of a distraction. Her full lips were pretty and he knew just how soft they were. Her eyes were intently watching the big TV above the fireplace. He tried not to stare. He didn’t want her to catch him ogling her like some kind of freak, but her profile in the dying light was striking. She was mindlessly twirling a strand of hair, working it into a knot, and letting it fall free before doing it all over again. 

Near the end of the movie, there was a very intense sex scene that went way off the rails, but all of the moaning and the things they were doing were making Daryl have thoughts best left to have when Allison wasn’t sitting right there. Thank God it ended the way that it did. If it hadn’t gone sideways when it did, Daryl wasn’t sure how he’d get himself under control. Allison noted the way his breathing sped up and that he was practically cutting the circulation off of her hand. She bit her lip to keep from giggling. It was good to know that she wasn’t the only one having indecent thoughts.

They still weren’t very hungry after the movie, so they decided that they would talk. “Let’s find out more about one another,” Allison suggested. “Ain’t much more to know about me than what I told you before.” Daryl and she were turned facing one another on the couch. Daryl had one leg pulled up and he nervously picked at his boot. “Well, I don’t know when your birthday is.” Allison took the pressure off of him. She didn’t want either of them to get into the heavy stuff, just the basics. “October first. When’s yours?” “October third.” Daryl looked at her to see if she was joking or if she was serious. “Looks like we have even more in common, huh?” “Looks like,” Daryl agreed. “How old are you?” This time Daryl asked the question. “Twenty-six. You?” Daryl told her that he was thirty-five. “Hmmm. An older man. I’ve always been into older guys.” She couldn’t say it all with a straight face. Daryl snorted, shaking his head. “Stop.” 

They found out each other’s favorite things, favorite colors, favorite things to do both before and after the turn. Allison got Daryl to laugh when she told him about the first time she went fishing and ended up losing her fishing rod and flipping over the canoe that she and her friend were in. “Bet he never took you fishin’ again,” Daryl said as he shook his head in disbelief. “Oh, no! He took me again the very next day. This time we stayed on the lake bank though. Come to think of it, we never went out on the water again.” “Can’t say I blame him. Did he bait your hook for ya?” “Once. Only once to show me how to do it and he made me do it every time I needed fresh bait.” 

“Can I tell ya somethin'?” “Of course you can, Daryl.” He took a moment to think of how to put into words what it was he wanted to ask, and Allison patiently waited for him. Daryl is a man of few words, so when he speaks, his words have weight. “This is all new to me. I’ve never been with a girl long enough to matter. What I mean is,” he faltered, but only for a moment. “Are we somethin’?” His question took her by surprise and all she could do was smile for a minute. “I know that I’d like us to be. I like spending time with you. I like the way you make me feel.” He looked at her questioningly. “How do I make you feel?” She bit her lip and blinked at him for a second. “You make me feel a lot of things, Daryl. All of them are good. When you’re around, I have this kind of fluttering in my stomach and I get happy. What about you?” Daryl blushed and went back to messing with his shoe. He couldn’t look her in the eye for this. He never had to be confident for a girl before and this was taking all that he had to even say. “I talked to Rick because I don’t really understand the way that I feel and I don’t know how to do the kinds of things that guys are s’posed to do. He told me that if it feels right, then I should do it. This feels right. I like it. I don’t know what it’s like to feel happy, but if it’s what I feel when I’m with you, then I don’t ever want to lose it.”

Allison sat quietly, blinking back the tears that were stinging her eyes. Daryl Dixon, the man that they had all been convinced was partly feral, had just said the most romantic, sweetest thing anyone ever said to her. She took both of his hands in hers and he finally looked at her again. “Then we’ll do this together and learn as we go.” Daryl felt the grip on his heart loosen and he let out a shaky breath. “C’mere,” he whispered. Allison thought he was going to kiss her, but instead, he pulled her into his arms and held her there for a long while. It was better than the kiss she had anticipated. She could feel the comfort it brought him and the happiness it brought to them both. 

After they ate they popped in another movie. Neither was ready to call it a night yet, and Daryl wanted a little more time with her close to him. They went with a comedy this time. Both of them were thinking that they didn’t need to try to get through another sex scene. ‘Step Brothers’ was just what they needed. Allison kicked off her sandals and laid back against Daryl’s chest and they laughed and shared the cookies Daryl made for her. Allison broke off chunks of cookie and would reach her hand up and feed them to him. They both laughed when Daryl missed a bite and it landed on her forehead. “Sorry ‘bout that,” he said as he carefully dusted the crumbs off of her face. They were comfortable resting with Daryl’s arm draped around her upper chest and his hand on her bare shoulder. He liked this. Really liked it. It was surprising to him that this was something that he was immediately comfortable with. He didn’t want to not have her this way all the time. 

Allison was well pleased with how things had gone tonight. They really learned a lot about one another and she felt that she was getting a rare glimpse at how Daryl could be if he was happy and the thought that she was what was making him happy was such an overwhelmingly humbling feeling that it almost made her weep with pride. She was who Daryl wanted. It was she who made him smile, a real, honest-to-God smile. What an honor. She was the person who was able to help him escape his painful past and let it all go, if but for only a little while. She hated that she was feeling so conceited, yet that wasn’t how she truly felt. Honored. That was what she felt. There wasn’t anything in this whole world that she wouldn’t do to protect it.

It was getting late, really late, and Allison was getting sleepy. Daryl had been mindlessly playing with her hair and it was putting her right out. When the movie ended, Allison sat up and rolled her neck and stretched. “Should probably get you home. We both gotta work tomorrow.” She laid her head on his shoulder again, not wanting to go anywhere, but he was right. She stood and reached her hand out to him. “What about your movies?” Allison gave him a sly little look and told him he could bring them by tomorrow. “That way you have an excuse.” He leaned over her upturned head and kissed her. “Don’t need an excuse. We’re somethin’. I can stop in and see ya whenever I want.” That made her deliriously happy and it showed all the way through her. “You’re absolutely right. We can see each other whenever we want. I like that.” Daryl shyly glanced into her eyes and nodded. “Me too.”

The walked back to her place, holding hands and smoking, taking their time getting there. The night was quiet. No constant droning from walkers on the wall, no sounds of fighting to live, no sounds of death to end death, just normal nighttime sounds. The power of that struck something in Allison. Normal. What she and Daryl had was normal, and it was joyful. This could be good. It would be. 

Daryl walked her all the way up. He couldn’t just leave her at the door and not make sure that she was safe when she made it to her living quarters. As good as things were, as protected as they were within the walls, bad things still happened. To him, she was something to protect like a fragile flower. She was anything but, but to him, she was his to keep safe. She was glad that he walked her up. She wanted to kiss him and she didn’t want prying eyes or any comments made in jest to ruin it. He stopped just inside her door frame. He looked relaxed and content. The fine lines around his eyes were smooth and his signature scowl was replaced with a look of peace. “I had a really good time tonight. Thank you for having me over.” He pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist. She linked her arms around his neck. “I had a good time, too. Want to do it again?” He was still so unsure about how any of this stuff worked. All he knew was that he wanted every chance they had to be spent making this somethin’ into somethin’ bigger. “I’d really love that, Daryl. You busy tomorrow evening?” He shook his head. “Not unless somethin’ comes up.” “Good. My place for dinner?” He was leaning in, his tongue darted out, wetting his lips. “Sounds good to me.” 

His lips were so incredibly soft. It didn’t take them long before tender kisses turned to passionate ones. Allison threaded her fingers into Daryl’s hair, raking her short nails across his scalp. She felt him shiver against her. His breathing became heavier. He tugged her even closer and ran his big warm hand up the cool skin of her bare back. The tiniest whimper came from her and the sound of it was almost more than he could take. It was the most beautiful music ever made. She stumbled against him, her body was in control, and it wanted more. Daryl let out a little "umph", muffled by the sound of their kiss. He wanted more, too. They had to stop, though. They had to slow down this train and take this slow. It had to be right. Right was what they both desperately wanted. Reluctantly, he pulled away. His hand was on her jaw now. She looked so beautiful as she stood there with her eyes still closed and her lips puffy from his being against them seconds ago. “G’night, Allison. See ya tomorrow.” Her hands came around his neck and her fingers grazed his cheeks. “Good night, Daryl.”


	9. Chapter 9

Weeks went on and Daryl and Allison were seeing one another as often as possible. Of course, they still had to work and Daryl was sometimes gone for days at a time, but when he was there he did all that he could do to make up for lost time. Most mornings, Allison would come down to the infirmary and find a flower on her desk. She saved every last one of them. Ever the sentimental one, she would hang them upside down to let them dry, or press them between the pages of her heaviest book. Daryl teased her about it, because, well, he’s Daryl. He told her that he would bring her fresh ones as often as he could so she could throw the dead ones out. “No way!” Allison protested. “These are special to me. You gave me them.” 

When he was safe inside the walls of Alexandria, Allison took him some lunch and they would eat together. Daryl would sometimes sneak her away to a place just beyond the gates that was peaceful. They were far enough away from prying eyes, but close enough so that one of the people on watch could signal them if Allison was needed at the clinic. Daryl and Aaron had just gotten back from being out for almost a week and Allison couldn’t wait to wrap her arms around him and feel his lips pressed against hers. 

Daryl was leaned back on his elbows and Allison was lying with her head in his lap. It was the end of summer and they wouldn’t be able to come out here when winter arrived. For now, though, this was their haven. “When are you and Aaron going to bring me a doctor back here so I can go into semi-retirement?” she teased. “Trust me, we’ve been lookin’. I want more time with ya. We’re gonna head the opposite direction next time we head out.” Allison was shaking her head and Daryl looked perplexed. “Noooo! No talking about leaving again right now. I just got you back.” He bent down and kissed the tip of her nose. “I missed ya, too. Aaron’s been talking about takin’ Eric on some runs with him, maybe even Carl. It’d be good to have others go since I need to do some huntin’ for us. Need to get the freezers filled and some meat cured.” She tilted her head back so she could look at him. “Just think, if we had a doctor or even another medic, I could go with you and you could teach me how to hunt.” “Pfft! If it goes anything like your first fishin’ trip you’ll end up shootin’ me.” Allison bolted up and playfully smacked his arm. “Haha! You’re funny, mister!” He fell onto his side trying to catch Allison and pull her into his embrace. “If ya wanna go huntin’ with me, I’ll take ya.” Allison threw herself on top of Daryl and kissed him happily. 

They hadn’t gone any further than kissing still. They were content to keep things moving nice and slow. They made it a point to try to learn something about one another every day that they were together. Things were good and they couldn’t be happier together. “Now that I have you home, are you coming over tonight?” Daryl shook his head, but wouldn’t look at her. “Rick said he needed me for somethin’. Said it might take a while.” Allison huffed out with frustration and sadness. Daryl grinned at her pouty expression. “Ah, honey, you ain’t mad at me, are ya?” Reluctantly and petulantly, she told him she wasn’t. “Good thing. It’d suck if you were mad at me while I was layin’ on your couch.” “Dixon! You dick!” Now, he rolled them over so he was on top of her and she would have to look at him smiling down at her. “Ain’t nothin’ keepin’ me from ya tonight. Promise.” He hovered over her with a hungry look in his eyes. His nose brushed over hers, his bottom lip ever so lightly grazed her upper one. “Never knew what it was like to miss somebody so much.” The baritone timbre of his voice vibrated all the way through her, flooding her with so much desire she thought she might cry. “I missed you so much, Daryl. It was too quiet when I went home at night and you weren’t there or on your way over.” 

Daryl nipped her lips with his, teasing her with chaste kisses, driving them both mad for more. Allison tentatively slid one hand under his shirt and let her fingers glide along his sweat-cooled skin on his side. Daryl threaded one hand under her head and into her hair and plundered her mouth with his tongue as if it was life-sustaining. She whimpered into him and he moaned back in response. Things were going to go way off track if they didn’t slow down, but neither of them had the willpower to do so. Every movement felt urgent like it had to happen right now. His breath came out in hard puffs from his nose and it made her skin tingle. He was at her jaw. Hot, open-mouth kisses there and all over her neck. Allison’s head was thrown back and she was writhing beneath him. She ran her hands down his back and gripped his ass, pulling her against her and grinding her pelvis against him. 

“Oh, God,” Allison mewled. Daryl turned them so they were on their sides. He needed to touch her. He does. His hands are rough but gentle and under her shirt, feeling the exquisite softness of her. He kissed her frantically, desperate to have her close, to feel her body responding to him. The thoughts he had of her on the first night they kissed flooded his mind. They needed to stop. They couldn’t do this here, but dear God the sounds she was making were stoking the fire within him. 

She was kissing his neck now, even using her teeth a little and, holy shit did it feel good. There suddenly wasn’t enough air in all of the great outdoors. He palmed her breast over the top of her bra. Her nipple pebbled under his thumb and he’s circling it because it feels so fucking good to him. Allison is sucking a place right above his collarbone and it was like a lit sparkler sizzling from that spot all the way to his balls. If they don’t stop right now, right this very second, he’s not going to be able to stop. He doesn’t want this to happen here. It should be special. Everything with Allison should be special. But there’s not one single part of him that wants to stop. 

“Allison,” his voice cracked with hoarseness. “We have to stop, honey. We, Jesus, I don’t wanna, but we gotta.” Allison whined and looked up at him, her lips all swollen and eyes dreamy. Daryl was right. Of course, he was right, but she didn’t want this to end. Still, she smiled. “I know.” He held her against his chest, feeling her tremble in his arms. He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “I want it to be good for you, Allison. For us. Maybe we could spend some time getting to know what each other likes,” he suggested. “That sounds fun.” Allison had the dirtiest gleam in her beautiful eyes. Daryl often thought he could get lost in those eyes of hers just trying to figure out what color they were. They were this gray-blue-green kind of swirl that he would swear changed colors depending on her mood like those old rings. The most interesting part was that little golden ring that circled her pupils. He’d never seen anything quite like them. If he ever had any doubt before, it was completely gone now. He wanted to spend as much time as she would allow him to just stare into her eyes and convey to her that he would never hurt her and that he would always be good to her.

Daryl went home to shower and take a nap. Allison made it very clear that she did not want him falling asleep as soon as he got to her place. He had to admit that he was pretty tired. He and Aaron were both more than anxious to get back home after being away for so long that they pushed on and walked most of the night, only stopping for a couple of hours to get enough rest to make it home.

Allison was just about to start teaching Enid and Tara how to examine ears since there were quite a few children and they all had invariably came in with ear infections or with something crammed in there that didn’t belong. Just as Tara was about to peek into the otoscope three men from the construction crew came crashing in. The guy in the middle was pale, sweaty, and looked rightly freaked the fuck out. His hand had been crushed between two heavy pieces of steel that they were moving with a makeshift crane. The rope had been used too many times, and when it frayed and snapped, Gary reflexively tried to catch the falling beam. “Tara, Enid you girls are on. Show me what you do first.” The girls didn’t hesitate. They brought Gary straight over to a stretcher and went right to work. Allison very closely observed and was well-pleased that she didn’t once have to step in or remind them of the protocols they worked by. 

Gary’s hand was, no doubt, badly broken, but his fingers were pink and warm and that was very good. He had some pretty nasty lacerations, but Tara and Enid were diligently sewing them up. Allison was thrilled that they had taken on learning how to help and that they were such attentive students. That meant that she would occasionally be able to get a breather from the infirmary and that was the best feeling.

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Allison was in the kitchen, bent over in front of her sink wiping up a mess. She wasn’t paying attention and knocked over her glass of tea while she danced around and sang to the music that was playing in the background. Daryl found her that way. She was wearing some tiny cotton shorts and a tank top that she’d tied in a knot in the back. He was hypnotized by the way she was swaying her ass back and forth as she mopped up the mess with a towel. He stood in her doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, just watching. He had barely been able to will his hard-on to go away earlier when they had to walk back from their little trip out of the gates, but it was right back and raging now. Goddamn. Why did she have to look so fucking good while cleaning? 

He moved without thinking. She screamed when he pressed up against her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Daryl! I swear to Christ I’m putting bells on you so you will quit giving me a heart attack!” She laughed at how roughly he spun her around, but it was stopped short when he grabbed her jaw with one hand and crashed his lips onto hers. He let go of her waist and turned off the stove. “Mmmm, what about dinner?” she muttered around his kiss. “Ain’t hungry.” He walked her over to the couch and pulled her onto his lap, making her straddle him. He bit and sucked his way down her neck and her eyes fluttered closed. “Thought we were going slow?” she asked, dreamily. “The fuck expect o’ me, girl? Dressed like this. Hell, ya ain’t even got a bra on.” His hands were cupping both of her breasts as if to prove his point. They had just gone from tentatively touching each other earlier straight to him fondling her tits like they had been at it for years.

In a short span of time, they were both worked up and moaning into their kisses. Their hands were all over each other, going further and faster than they were earlier. “Up,” Daryl barked. Allison didn’t question a damn thing. She was up on her knees and Daryl was staring right into her eyes. His hand slid from her hip along the hem of her short shorts to her inner thigh. She whimpered when his fingers traced along the outline of her panties. “This ok?” She nodded immediately. Please, dear God, please don’t stop Daryl. He felt the rough pad of his thumb on the juncture of her thigh, sliding her panties to the side. “You can tell me to stop and I will.” “I know. I don’t want you to stop.” Her voice was low and raspy and sultry. He squeezed her hip with his other hand and growled as he touched her.

She was so wet. Practically dripping down his fingers already. Her labia was shaved smooth and the feel of it made his eyes go back in his head. Allison palmed him over his jeans and he hissed because it hurt in the best way. “I want to touch you too.” He forced his eyes to open. His fingers slid easily into her folds and he watched her eyes close for a moment. When she could look at him again, he tipped his head towards her hands. “Go ahead if ya wanna.” Her hands fumbled with his belt and zipper as he toyed with her clit with the tip of his forefinger. Her body shuddered at every pass of his fingers. Daryl breathed out a little laugh. “C’mon, girl. Get to it.” Goading bastard. She made herself block out what he was doing to her so she could get him out of his pants. 

She had felt him through his pants, sure, but having him out and in her hand, she was seeing just how big he really was. “Holy shit,” she gasped with amazement. How could he just walk around with all of that between his legs? Daryl was unable to break beyond the feeling of her soft, small hand on his dick. Most importantly, it wasn’t his hand. It was only another blink of time before Allison was all the way aware that Daryl’s fingers were stroking her in earnest and she couldn’t hold back the cry caused by the wave of utter exhilaration that sent shock waves from her hair to her toes. She began to slowly stroke him. Her thumb traveled the length of the thick, prominent vein that went all the way to the base. Daryl’s head was dropped back, sinking deeper into the cushion. His lips were parted and the softest sigh was coming from somewhere deep within. 

One of his gloriously thick fingers slipped inside of her and all coherent thought was lost. He worked it in and out painfully slowly while continuing his dirty work on her clit. Allison moved against his hand, fucking his finger as she desperately pushed and pulled her hand up and down his throbbing shaft. This was way more than she thought they would be doing to explore one another to find out what they both liked, but it was so fucking good. She raised up on her knees and felt the light flicker of another finger lining up alongside the one nestled inside of her. “Daryl.” It was so quiet and so pleading that Daryl wasn’t sure that he hadn’t imagined it. He opened his eyes and saw her. Watched her moving her body on his hand. He looked down and watched her hand moving up and down his cock in time with her ascents and descents. “Fuck. Oh fuck, Allison.” His head was spinning and was sinking further, deeper, into the couch cushion. 

Faster now. She was moving faster, with much more intent. His name came from her in a crying, pleading song that was the most beautiful music Daryl ever heard. No one had ever said his name like this. There was so much longing and reverence and passion. No one had ever wanted Daryl Dixon in this way. He understood that what he was seeing, what he was feeling was real and it was too much and not enough and he wanted it all. All of it for as long as he could chase it and make it his and keep it safe. 

Allison was kissing him and it was, again, something that he still had yet to wrap his mind around. She did it in a way that showed him how much she wanted him. It was so unfamiliar and so needed. Him. She wanted him and only him, and fucking hell did he want her. 

Her tongue came into his mouth as easily and needily as her increasingly higher pitched mewling cries. His fingers dug deeper into her hip, urging her on. “Please, Daryl.” “Please what, sweetheart? Tell me what you need.” She rested her forehead on his crown, breathing in the scent of his clean hair. “Please please please please.” “Tell me, honey. Tell me what you need. I’ll give it to you.” He would give her anything and do anything for her. “Please, Daryl. Oh, fuck, please,” she sobbed. “It’s yours, honey. Tell me.” He felt the subtle flutter of her walls around his fingers. “Cum with me, Daryl. I don’t want to be alone.” Something about the weight of that statement landed squarely on Daryl’s chest, cutting off all of his air and he choked on it. “Not… Not alone, honey. Never again.” Her words hit in another way, too. He was close. How long had he been that close? “Now, Daryl… Oh, Jesus… Mmmmm… Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck…” Blinding white flashed behind his eyes and all he could hear was a whooshing sound in his ears that made him dizzy. He bucked his hips against her, thrusting his dick in her hand, one… two… three times and a low, growling rumble came from deep in his throat.

Daryl lazily came around first. Allison was still above him, gasping for air and undulating, still on his fingers. His hand was wet all the way past his wrist. His shirt and her hand were covered with his cum. None of that mattered. All that mattered was that she was there and she was real and she wanted him. Maybe as much as he wanted her. 

Allison slowly eased against his chest as she came down. She linked her arms around his neck and his arms were around her back, pulling her close and hold her there. “Y’alright?” Her head, nuzzled against his neck, moved up and down. “You?” “Yeah. I’m good, sweetheart.” 

After a while, they came apart and sat head-to-head and holding hands, messiness be damned. “Should probably clean ourselves up, huh?” Daryl chuckled. “Yeah.” His shirt was sticky and drying to his skin. “I think I have a shirt that’ll work for you. C’mon.” Daryl kissed her head, hair sticking to his lips. He didn’t care. Daryl never fancied himself an affectionate person, but that was all that he wanted with Allison. How had he never felt anything like this before? He didn’t know, but he was glad that Allison was the person he felt it with.

Daryl stood behind Allison, rubbing his hands up and down her sides while she finished making their dinner. He could have sat on the sofa like he usually did while she cooked, both were content being in the same space. Something happened earlier and he didn’t want to be apart from her. “I don’t want to be alone” played over and over in his mind. It wasn’t just that she didn’t want to finish alone, he knew that even if she didn’t. Hell, she might not even know that she’d said it. He was here now, and there was no way he’d ever let her feel alone again. 

Allison was putting their food onto their plates when the most anguished, heart-wrenching wail ripped through the whole of everything around them. Daryl looked toward Allison’s door, making sure that nothing was coming through to cause them harm. “That came from the infirmary,” Allison stated. Giving the stove a quick look to make sure she’d turned it off, she grabbed Daryl’s hand and they headed down the steps to find out what was happening.

Daryl went in first and let go of Allison’s hand, stalking over to the strange man who looked scared and lost and remorseful. Daryl shoved him into the wall and fired question after question at him. Who was he? Why was he here? How many of his group were there? All the dark-haired man could do was shake his head. Daryl started getting rough with him, demanding that he answer him right goddamn now. Daryl realized that the man hadn’t stopped staring at something the whole time he was in his face barking orders. He was suddenly aware that the only sound in the room was someone crying. 

Daryl couldn’t have prepared himself for what he saw when he turned around even if he’d known it was going to happen. Allison was frozen in place, one hand over her mouth, the other over her heart. Tears spilled freely down her face. Tara sat slumped in a chair, crying hard. Enid. Enid was sobbing and pleading, no no, God no, please dear God, no. Daryl felt like someone had punched him in the gut and all of the oxygen was vacuumed out of the atmosphere. No. Oh, Jesus fuck. Please, not this. Not this.

It was though. I was exactly that and there was nothing that could be done to fix it. Not one single fucking thing. How did this happen? HOW goddammit? Where was Aaron? Aaron had been there and he would know what happened. How this went down. This was never supposed to be this way. Ever. 

“Please,” Enid keened. “You have to do something!” Her eyes were on Allison and she was begging her with everything she had for Allison to just do something. Anything. Make all of this better and make it not real. “Why are you just standing there? Please, Allison! You know how to do things. You taught us how to do this stuff. Make this better.” The fracture in Allison’s heart grew wider and deeper with every pleading word. There was literally nothing she could do and that was the hardest realization for her. She was completely heartbroken and helpless and vibrating with the desperation of it all. 

Enid was in her face now. Screaming and demanding that she not just stand there like some dumb bitch and do what she is trained to fucking do. Allison sobbed and tried to find the words to tell her how very fucking sorry she was. “There's nothing…” A sharp crack rent the air and Allison’s head snapped to the side. No one moved for a moment. No one knew what to do. Allison held her hand to her stinging cheek and she tried, God how she tried to tell Enid she was sorry. 

Daryl came over as soon as Enid slapped Allison, but Allison held up her hand to stop him. This, all of this was coming from a bottomless cavern of pain that none of them could fathom. “Do. Something. Dammit.” Enid’s teeth were clenched and she punctuated each word by shoving Allison’s chest. “Enid,” Daryl said in a low, warning way. He got it. He knew how much this was killing her, but he wouldn’t abide her hurting Allison when there was nothing she could do. Allison stepped back with every shove. Soon, they were crossing over the threshold out onto the porch. Allison never once took her eyes away from Enid’s. She pleaded with her without saying a word, to just understand that she would do anything, everything if there was something that could be done. 

Aaron, Rick, and Michonne were coming toward the infirmary. Carol, Gabriel, Eric, Rosita, others, so many others were gathering around out front and watching what was happening. Not a single one of them had a clue what to do. Daryl stepped in Enid’s direction and she shot him a venomous glare. “Tell her to do something!” He opened his mouth to try to talk to Enid, to calm her down somehow, but Enid was consumed with every emotion and it was more than she could take. It all came out in a screaming plea and she was angry, so fucking angry that Allison wasn’t doing anything. Allison reached her arms out to Enid. All she wanted was to provide some degree of comfort. Enid didn’t want her fucking comfort. She wanted Allison to fix this. She pulled her arms back and Allison reflexively took a step back, she was at the edge of the porch above the two steps leading to the footpath. Enid charged forward and shoved Allison as hard as she could.


	10. Chapter 10

Allison crashed to the ground with a hard thud, knocking the wind out of her. The force was enough that it caused her hands to shoot out at her sides, scraping the rough bricks of the walkway. “Allison!” Daryl ran to her side and suddenly everyone was crowding and Allison couldn’t breathe. Too many people were too close and she needed them all to back away. The man with the dark hair came through the growing throng of people who were all trying to figure out what was going on. “Let me help,” he offered. Allison looked at him, angry and disbelieving. “Who the fuck are you?” she demanded. Daryl held Allison protectively, glaring at the man knelt before them. “My name is Siddiq. I’m a doctor. Your friend, he um, he saved my life.” Allison jerked her hand away from him and clumsily got to her feet. “You’re a doctor, huh? Well, good luck.” She waved her hand out toward the infirmary. “It’s all fucking yours.” Allison turned, pushing her way out of the crowd as fast as she could. She had to get away from all of their eyes watching her, questioning her. 

She out-walked Daryl by a good clip before he could catch up to her. “Hey,” he drawled, gently grabbing her upper arm. “Y’alright? Let me see.” He was in front of her and so sweet and tender. Her hands were scraped up and her wrists were going to hurt later, but that seemed to be the worst of it. She looked into his eyes and the dam broke. “I couldn’t fix it. There is nothing that I can do to make it better. Oh God! Why? Why can’t I make it better? FUCK!” She was breathing hard and fast and crying so hard she couldn’t see, but she knew that there were people still looking at her like she was some kind of villain and she just couldn’t bear it. She pulled free from Daryl and started off in no particular direction. She was still in the tiny shorts and tank top and she didn’t have on shoes. It was a hell of a way to be in the middle of town for everyone to gawk at.

“Allison, honey, stop.” He saw her legs beginning to shake and the way her last step faltered. She tried to put one foot in front of the other, but all of her strength was gone, taken over by the overwhelming feeling of her own grief. Her knee buckled, and she tried so hard to make it work, but it was no use. She slowly crumpled to the ground and bent forward, sobbing into her own lap. “I couldn’t fix it,” she just kept repeating it, driving that particular spike further and further into her heart. Daryl sat on the ground beside her and pulled her into his arms. “I couldn’t fix it, Daryl.” He shushed her with his lips against her damp temple. “I would do anything for this to not be real.” He stroked her hair and rocked her back and forth. “I know, I know, I know, honey, I know.” She sucked in these hard, shrill-sounding breaths that were too fast. 

Daryl pulled her head away from his chest and held her face in both hands. “Ya gotta slow down, can ya do that for me?” She shook her head. No, she certainly could not. He pushed her hair out of her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Yes, you can. C’mon girl, take a deep breath.” He spoke so soothingly to her and was finally getting her to take slower breaths and begin to calm down. “Here, Allison,” Carol said, offering her a bottle of water. “Are you ok, sweetie?” Allison reluctantly raised her eyes to meet Carol’s. Carol had a kind smile that reassured her. “Let’s get you home,” she suggested. Allison frantically shook her head, beginning to cry again. “I-I can’t. I can’t go back there.” Daryl was shushing her again. “ ‘s ok. Takin’ ya to my place. Don’t gotta go back there right now.” Daryl and Carol helped her to her feet. “Thank you,” Allison hiccupped to Carol. “There’s nothing to thank me for. Let’s just get you to Daryl’s and get you cleaned up.” 

Allison curled up on the end of the couch, resting her head on the arm. Daryl pulled a blanket over her. “I’m gonna get some stuff to fix you up. Be right back.” Carol followed Daryl into the kitchen where he kept a first aid kit. “I can stay with her while you go talk to Rick. I know you need to see him now.” Daryl gnawed on his lower lip and nodded. Carl being bitten was beyond reasonable comprehension. Daryl had been there to watch him grow from a pesky little kid to a brave, strong man. He couldn’t imagine how Rick was dealing with this. He needed to let his friend, his brother, know that he was here for him. 

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Carl was on one of the stretchers and Rick, Michonne, and Enid were closely circled around him. The precious time they had left was spent telling him how much they loved him and how brave he’d always been. Daryl slipped in and quietly made his way over to Rick. Dale once said that words were meager things and it was no truer than it was right then. Daryl wished that he possessed the vocabulary to tell them what was in his heart, but even if he did, he wasn’t sure that he could get the words out. Seeing Carl lying there, pale, sweaty, and somehow, stronger than anyone in the room, seized Daryl’s chest with icy fingers. They squeezed and squeezed until Daryl could no longer pull in a full breath. This was never supposed to happen. Carl was smart and strong and fast. He had been handling himself in dangerous situations for longer than he was alive before the turn. 

Daryl placed his hand on Rick’s shoulder and clutched it. He didn’t dare hug anyone. That would certainly set off a chain reaction of crying and now wasn’t the time to spend on tears. The bite was on Carl’s ribs. It was red and angry-looking. The virus was coursing its way through his bloodstream and it wouldn’t be much longer. “Thanks for bringin’ back a doc,” Daryl half-joked. Seemed to be the right way to talk to the kid. He and Carl had forged a solid friendship when Lori died. “No problem. It was dumb luck that everything went down the way it did. Siddiq is a good man. You got my word on it.” Daryl gave him an assured nod. He’d make sure that Siddiq was treated right because he had Carl’s approval. “Can you stay for a bit? Gabriel is going to marry me and Enid. We were talking about it and we want to do it before…” He didn’t need to finish that statement. Enid let out a kitten-like sob and shook her head. A bride and a widow in a matter of mere moments. Life is fucking cruel. 

Daryl stayed for the impromptu ceremony. It took all that Daryl had not to cry, not that he was the crying type. Rick and Michonne showed extraordinary strength, also not something Daryl thought he could do. They all promised that they would look after Enid. Of course, they would take care of her. Time was fleeting now and Daryl saw himself out. He couldn’t be here for this part. There was no way he could shoulder that image for the rest of his life. He slipped out as quietly as he slipped in and headed back home. Maybe he was a pussy for not being there for Carl’s family, he could live with that if it meant that he would be stronger for after.

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Carol sat beside Allison and combed her fingers through her hair. She soothed and comforted her in a motherly way and Allison was grateful. She was being treated with kindness and respect when she wasn’t sure if anyone still had any left for her. 

Daryl quietly closed the door behind him when he came back. Carol immediately noted his severe, deeply distressed expression and the enormity of it all was palpable. It was over. Allison began to cry anew. She didn’t need to see Daryl to know it was over. The loss radiated through every molecule of everything. “Shhhh,” Carol soothed. “It’s going to be ok. Carl would want it that way.” 

Carol offered to make dinner for them, or even go get what Allison had cooked, but neither felt like eating. Daryl told her that he was going to keep things quiet and take care of Allison. “I’m gonna put her to bed and get her to rest.” Carol hugged Daryl, tears in her eyes, and told him to get her if they needed anything. “I’ll bring breakfast over in the morning. You both have to eat something.” He chewed on his lip and muttered "thanks". 

Once they were alone, Daryl pulled Allison onto his lap. He kissed her head over and over, not having a clue what she needed to hear. She finally stopped crying and was tired from it. “C’mon. I’ll put ya in my bed. I can sleep on the couch.” She squeezed him and shook her head. “Please, stay with me.” He stared into her eyes for a moment before he nodded. “Alright. Whatever you need.” 

He guided her over to the bedside as she moved numbly beside him. “Shit. I never tended to your hands. Stay here, ‘k?” Allison nodded, blankly. He was back within a few minutes. He retrieved the first aid kit from the dining room table where he’d absently left if before. He wet a washcloth with warm water and took her right hand in his own. “Probably gonna sting a little.” The first couple of gentle passes weren’t too bad, but once the dirt and dried blood was gone the raw skin ached. “Sorry. Don’t mean to hurt ya.” “I know. It’s ok.” He carefully cleaned and dressed both hands and pulled back the blankets for her. “You sure you still want me here? I can sleep on the couch…” “Don’t leave me. Please,” she cut him off. 

The light of day was swallowed up by dark, threatening clouds and thunder rumbled in the distance. They lay facing one another and Daryl stroked his fingers through her hair. “Ya know, no one thinks that him dyin’ was your fault. Carl even told me to tell ya not to blame yourself. Was nothin’ to be done and he knew that.” Allison pulled in a deep shuddering breath and stammered, “Do you, um, do… Shit. Do you blame me?” “What? No, Allison, not for a second. Where he was bit, there was nothing that you or anybody could do. C’mere.” He turned onto his back and held out his arm so she could rest her head on his chest. “Gonna storm soon. Gonna be a bad one.” 

Allison snuggled against him, feeling a bit better about things. She listened as Daryl told her about how to watch nature and she’d tell you just what she was about to do. “It’s been hot and dry for too long. All that energy’s gotta go somewhere. My mom used to tell us that when the leaves were blown over and looked silver it meant a storm was coming. She wasn’t wrong.” The wind kicked up a bit and whistled around the eaves. “Wind’s blowing in from the south and the west. Could be something building up out in the ocean.” Allison was genuinely astounded how he could possibly know so much. “I’m the kind of girl who always needed landmarks for directions. Don’t come spouting all of that north and south bullshit at me unless you want me good and lost.” Daryl snorted, looking down to see if she was serious. “Lord, girl. I’m gonna teach you all kinds of things.” 

They listened to the storm as it blew in and raged throughout most of the night. “Plan on going huntin’ in a few days, 's long as it ain’t raining too much. Still want me to teach ya?” “Yeah, I’d like that. I don’t know that I want to go back to the infirmary anytime soon.” Daryl let out a sigh. He didn’t want to ask, but he had to have some idea where her mind was. “What’re you thinking you might do if you don’t do that?” “I was thinking that I might volunteer to be a run medic.” She felt him tense and knew that he didn’t like the idea. “Think about it. If I go along on runs, maybe more lives can be saved if immediate medical care can be given.” “Listen, it’s been a hell of a day. Don’t give up on the one thing that you built by yourself because something bad happened. Will you at least think about it before you make any decisions. Maybe get to know this Siddiq. Carl gave his word that he’s a good guy.” 

Allison agreed, not wanting to argue about anything. She was drained and didn’t have any fight in her. “You should try to get some sleep. I’ll be right here. I ain’t going anywhere and ain’t nothing gonna hurt you.” He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. “Ok.” He rubbed his fingers up and down her arm in a mindless pattern and watched the raindrops trickled down the window. He was lost in his thoughts of taking Allison hunting and getting her out of Alexandria for a little while. Maybe it would do her some good. She had been still and quiet for so long that he was sure that she was asleep, but her soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Daryl?” “Yeah?” “Thank you for taking care of me.” Daryl didn’t - couldn’t - say anything back. He squeezed her tighter and kept her in his arms for the rest of the night.


	11. Chapter 11

Sometime in the very early morning hours, another, much stronger storm rolled in. Thunder shook the foundation and rattled the walls. Daryl smoothed his hand down Allison’s arm when she stirred in her sleep. He hadn’t even fully woken up, which was surprising given how light of a sleeper he is. There was something about having her warmth and rhythmic breathing pressed against him comforted him, lulling him into a deeper sleep than normal. He missed the next few quiet sounds and light twitches, but a brilliant explosion of lightning and jarring thunder had Allison screaming and trying to flee from it. 

“Allison, hey, I gotcha,” Daryl rasped, trying to still her. She looked around to get her bearings, forgetting momentarily that she’d spent the night at Daryl’s. “You’re alright. It’s just a storm and it’s still early.” Allison pulled her knees to her chest and tried to convince herself that she was awake, there were no bad dreams, and that the noise was only thunder. She had been on her way out of Atlanta when the bombing started. It was something that she thought she was long since past, but clearly the things that scared us most are the things that stick with us the longest. “You ok?” “Mmm-hmm.” “Come on back here. We can sleep a while longer.” 

She easily slid back into his arms. It was warm and inviting and safe. “I won’t let nothin’ hurt you. Promise.” He pressed his lips to her forehead and stayed that way for a moment. Allison tilted her head back and stared into his blue eyes, softened by the feeling all around them. She wound her fingers into his hair and waited. She didn’t know precisely what she was waiting for until his nose brushed across hers and he was kissing her. 

It was like it was the first time he kissed her. Everything else just stopped. She could feel his heart beating against her own chest, and the steady way his breathing picked up. His hand had the slightest tremble when he trailed it down to her thigh to pull her leg over his hip. She moaned at the feel of his bare legs below his boxers. Daryl pulled her middle against him as he thrust himself against her. Allison tingled all the way down to the tips of her toes as Daryl kissed and sucked all over her neck. If he had any question as to whether or not Allison was sure it was laid to rest when she rolled them over so she was on top of him and pulled off her tank top. 

Daryl sat up enough to put his mouth anywhere his hands weren’t. He was diamond-hard beneath her and she was aching with need. He sat up fully, pulling her legs around him. It seemed that every time the lightning flashed was spurring them on. Allison coiled her arms around him, holding him to her neck. “Daryl.” He pulled in a hard breath when he heard his name whispered in such a wanton way. “Jesus, girl.” He laid her back and their heads were at the foot of the bed now. He kissed his way all the way down the center of her chest. He dragged his lips lazily over her nipples, teasing one then the other with his tongue before sucking them and pulling them between his teeth.

His kisses traveled lower. “We can stop. If ya wanna slow down, all ya gotta do is say so.” Stopping was the furthest thing from her mind as she shook her head. “No. Don’t stop.” Lower still and Daryl hooked his fingers into the elastic waist of her shorts and started working them down her hips. He sat back on his heels and watched the soft fabric of her shorts trailing down her lean legs until he tossed them onto the floor. He was still for a moment, reveling in her beautiful naked form as well as trying to slow himself down before he got so ahead of himself that it ended before it could get started. 

He raked his blunt fingernails along the inside of both of her legs causing her to shake involuntarily. Slow as molasses from her ankles to her thighs, Daryl watched her respond to his touch. He chased the fine lines created by his nails with his tongue, easing her legs apart as he went. Allison’s breath caught in her chest the closer he drew to her core. He looked through his bangs and watched her chest rise and fall while he traced his fingertips over her smooth labia. She felt him shifting around between her legs and raised her head to see what he was doing just as he lapped her with the flat of his tongue from her dripping entrance all the way to her beautifully glistening clit. “Oh fuck, Daryl,” she whined. 

He set about eating her out like it was his job. Allison was instantly in sensation overload and writhing around under his ministrations. She was moving around a bit much for Daryl’s liking, so he placed his hands under her knees and pushed her legs back almost against her chest and held them there. He flicked his tongue all around her clit until she was a shaking, mewling mess and then he went for the kill. He pulled the swollen nub into his mouth and rolled his tongue all around while simultaneously sucking it. Allison grabbed his hair with both hands and pulled. Daryl growled against her, loving the way she was tugging his hair like she was using it to keep herself from floating away. “Daryl! Oh my God, Daryl!” She was right there and he could feel it. He eased his right hand down and slid his middle finger inside of her. She was so warm and wet and he was dying to get his dick in there. She kept calling his name and tearing at the sheets. He used his other hand to spread her lips giving him complete access to her clit and Allison was only a hair’s breadth from shattering into a million pieces under his power. He now had two fingers inside her and hooked them just enough so they rubbed against the little rough spot that he knew would send her the rest of the way to that wonderful state of bliss. 

Allison dug her feet into the mattress and shoved herself up, but Daryl caught her and held her in place and kept up his dirty work until she was begging him to stop. “I can’t… I can’t… Too much!” Daryl took his sweet time licking up all of her juices, savoring the sweetness that was uniquely hers. “Please. Oh God, Daryl, please.” She could feel his evil grin against her and knew that he was a cocky bastard, but fucking hell, no one had ever gone down on her with so much enthusiasm. 

Allison tugged on Daryl’s arms, urging him back up over the top of her. “Please.” He brushed his lips over hers and smiled. “Ain’t gotta ask me twice.” Allison caught his lips with her own, gliding her tongue across his bottom one. “I gotta get a condom. You still wanna do this? We don’t gotta.” Daryl wanted to more than he wanted air to breathe, but if she wasn’t a hundred percent on board he would stop right now. “I want you, Daryl. I want this.” He looked into her eyes for a minute more and she loved the sweetness that she saw in his. “Ok.” He gave her the tiniest, most adorable smile she’d ever seen on him.

When he turned back to the bed, he found Allison sitting on the side waiting for him. “Come here,” she reached out her hands to him. She was completely nude, but Daryl was still wearing his boxers. His dick was tenting the front of them to the point that the elastic waistband was pulling away from his belly a little. She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him as she started sliding his underwear down his legs. He swept her hair away from her and rubbed his thumb over her chin. “You don’t have to, sweetheart.” “I know.” 

Daryl’s head fell back between his shoulders and the tendons stood out on his neck. He let out a long, contented sigh and wound his fingers into Allison’s hair. There was no way that he could let her do this for very long. He wanted to be inside of her too much for that right now. But, he did know that this was definitely something he wanted her to do more of, soon. He gathered her hair into a ponytail to keep it out of her face without even thinking about what he was doing. “Holy shit, Allison. Feels so fuckin’ good.” Allison grabbed the condom from the mattress and opened the wrapper while she sucked him for another minute. She would definitely revisit this activity again very soon. She wanted to know what he looked like completely at her mercy. 

He watched intently as she rolled the condom down his thick shaft. His heart was beating so hard he could hear it in his ears. It’d been a good long while since he’d been with a woman, and exactly never since he was with anyone like he was about to be with Allison. Their eyes met for a split second before Daryl pushed her back on the bed. Outside, the wind howled, blowing the pouring rain against the side of the house. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled angrily, but all Allison could hear was the sound of Daryl’s breathing. 

She could feel him grip himself and the way his arms were trembling just the tiniest bit. He slowly rubbed the head of his cock along her slit, collecting her moisture and parting her lips. He pressed firmly against her entrance and looked into her eyes once more, just to be sure. She stared right into his eyes and nodded. She slid her arms under his and hooked her fingers into the back of his shoulders, gripping him with all that she had as he eased inside her, inch by agonizingly slow inch. “Daryl, Daryl, Daryl, Daryl, Daryl,” her endless chant was all she was capable of. “Oh, God. Oh Jesus, Allison. Fuck, sweetheart.” When he was all the way in, he laid his head against the hollow of her neck and breathed. He couldn’t move yet or it would be all over and he wasn’t ready for it to be over before it began. 

When he was ready, Daryl rested his elbows on either side of Allison’s head. He held one side of her face in his big, warm hand, studied her beautiful face, and began to slowly make love to her. He’d never done anything like what he was doing now. It was always hard, fast, and usually against some grimy bathroom wall in a bar. He couldn’t stop looking at her. The expression of exquisite bliss, the way her part lips called out his name, and the way she was looking at him. It was nothing like he’d ever seen in his whole life. No one had ever looked at him with such reverence, and dare he even think it, such love. 

Moving at such a pace was slow, sweet torture, but he wanted it to be loving and all of the things that he felt Allison deserved. She captured his lips and kissed him deeply, clinging to him and pulling him as close to her as possible. His weight and his skin against her made her feel alive and needed. “Oh God, Daryl, please,” she begged into his ear. Daryl grabbed one of her legs that were wound around his waist and hooked his arm under her knee and pushed it up. “Faster.” Allison lost her inhibitions of this being their first time together. Nothing felt as good as he did inside of her and she wanted every little bit of pleasure she could take. Daryl’s brow knitted together and he rolled his hips, hitting into her faster with every thrust. 

Allison was getting closer and closer, and Daryl wanted to see it happen to the fullest. He rolled them over so she was on top and Allison didn’t miss a beat. She held herself up with her hands on his chest. Daryl let out a long, low groan at the sight of her above him. “Ride me good, girl. C’mon now.” He thrust into her every time she slid down his dick. Faster and faster, more and more frenzied by the second. Allison was right there and he was hitting into just the right spot. He licked his thumb and pressed it to her clit, rubbing it in slow, lazy circles. Allison cried out with abandon, calling his name and pleading for sweet relief. “That’s it, girl. All ya gotta do is let go. Do it for me, honey. Let go.” The low, gravelly rumble of his voice and the sweet way he called her honey did it. It broke the dam and she the pulling tingle low in her belly raced up her spine and she was all the way over and crashing onto his chest. Her back bowed up in the center and her body shuddered with wild aftershocks as Daryl continued chasing his own release. He held onto her hips and thrust into her, his feet planted firmly in the mattress. “Jesus… Fuck. Oh, fuck me, Allison. God, I’m cumming.” 

Daryl pulled her against his chest and held her tightly with both arms. “So good, sweetheart.” After getting rid of the used condom, Daryl turned them so he was her big spoon and held her close. “It’s still early. We don’t hafta get up or do anything for a while.” Allison linked her fingers with his and brought his hand up and kissed it. “Good. I don’t want to be anywhere else.”


	12. Chapter 12

Daryl and Allison stood back away from most of the crowd gathered at Carl’s funeral. It wasn’t that they were trying to be standoffish, but with the way things had gone down with Enid, Allison wanted to give her the space she needed. She was trying hard not to cry. She hated that Daryl had already seen her crying so much yesterday. She kept her head down and wiped away the tears that managed to get away. Daryl threaded his fingers with hers and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She thought that she might just have enough strength to get through the rest of this, but then Rick began to cry and Judith was calling out for her brother and Allison just couldn’t take it. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, pulling away from Daryl. Her heart couldn’t take hearing their grief and the poor little girl who had no way of understanding that she was never going to see her big brother again. It brought back too many of her own memories.

Daryl caught up with her as she climbed the steps at the infirmary. “You don’t gotta stay here.” Allison stopped, willing herself not to cry right now. “Why don’t we get some of your things and you stay with me for a while?” He was at her side now, and she was staring at the floor. “You ok?” She nodded. “I will be. I… That was tough and I couldn’t handle it.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “It’s alright. We ain’t gotta think about that right now. Let’s get some of your stuff and go back to my place. We can hide from away from everything there.” He tilted her head back with his thumb on her chin. “Sound good to you?” It sounded more than good to her. All she wanted was to hide away from all of this sadness and loss and relish in the one thing that brought her so much joy. 

While Allison was packing some clothes and toiletries, Daryl had an idea. “You got a bag or something I can use?” She stopped what she was doing and looked out her bedroom door at Daryl. “I was thinking we should pack up a bunch of movies and take ‘em with us. Ain’t much work gonna get done with all of this rain. Plus, I thought it might be a good distraction.” She dug around in her closet for a minute and found a duffel bag that would work well. “Here,” she said, tossing him the bag. 

They changed into dry clothes when they got back to Daryl’s house, and he warmed up the breakfast cobbler that Carol brought over. It was something with peaches and pecans since both are plentiful in the area, but it was baked with oatmeal on top. Carol dressed it up with a little cinnamon and sugar. She knew that it was one of Daryl’s favorites, so she made it on the regular for him. It was one way that she knew for sure that Daryl was getting some fruit in his likely questionable diet. Carol often worried about him. There were days that he had dark, puffy circles under his eyes and she didn’t think that lack of sleep was all to blame for it. She had an idea that he wasn’t getting the nutrition that he needed, so she started making special meals for him. She would pureè vegetables that he refused to eat to mix in with sauces. Sure enough, her intuition had proven right. After a few of her trick meals, Daryl looked better. His color was back and even his hair had more shine. Once a mother, always a mother, she thought. 

Allison sat snugly against Daryl’s side. His arm was around her and his cheek was on her head. A movie was playing, but he didn’t think Allison was paying it any more attention than he was. He was thinking back to early this morning when she was under him and how perfect it was. He was going to thank Rick for his advice as soon as he was up for talking. Allison shifted around until she had her back pressed against him. This position gave Daryl better access to her long hair. He recently found that he liked the way the silky strands felt as they glided between his fingers. She tilted her head back and locked her big gray-blue eyes with his. “Thank you for taking care of me, Daryl.” He kissed her forehead, leaving his lips there for a moment. “I gotcha, sweetheart.”

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The rain set in and held on for almost a week. Daryl and some of the others made a trip out almost every day to make sure that the roads were still passable and that the town wasn’t in imminent danger of being flooded. Allison and some of the others tried to save as many of the crops as they could. Not only was there a huge garden that fed the community, but almost everyone had a small garden in their own yard. They had been in need of rain, but not this constant deluge they were getting. Allison had even gone so far as to sacrifice their TV for running kitchen appliances so she could help do some canning. Carol had to teach her the process, but they had fun while doing it. Plus, it gave Carol a chance to see how things were going with her and Daryl. 

“You and Daryl seem to be doing really well. He’s happy,” Carol stated. “It’s a good look on him. He’s never been happy, never been in a relationship, and has only ever looked out for everyone else. I’m glad you and him have something together.” Allison smiled happily as she snapped green beans to be canned. “Daryl makes me happy. All I want is to give him the kind of life and all the things he deserves.” Carol couldn’t help herself, she just had to know. “Are you living here now? I mean, you’ve been here for almost a week.” Allison’s brow furrowed a bit. She wanted to be honest, but Daryl is a pretty private person and she wasn’t sure that he’d appreciate Carol asking. “Um, well, Daryl asked me to come and stay for a few days because I just wasn’t ready to be near the infirmary. We really haven’t talked about anything more than that.” 

Daryl came in before the questioning could go any further and Allison was relieved. “Hey you!” she called from the kitchen. “You’re soaked. Why don’t you go up and get a quick shower and I’ll have dinner ready by the time you’re done.” He greeted Carol and told them he’d be back down in a few. Allison popped the sheet pan with chicken and veggies into the oven and set the timer. Carol quickly cleaned up and told Allison she was going to head home. “You coming back over tomorrow so we can finish up?” Allison asked. Carol gave her a sweet smile, “You bet.”

Allison was just putting their dinner on plates when Daryl came in and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “Been waitin’ to kiss ya all damn day.” He kissed his way from her shoulder to her earlobe, sweeping her hair aside. “Mmmm… I missed you, too. How is it out there?” He licked the shell of her ear and whispered “wet” into it. “You’re a dirty man, Dixon.” “Didn’t hear ya complainin’ about it last night.” Allison giggled, “No, you most certainly did not. We should eat while the food is hot. If you eat all your veggies maybe you’ll get a treat.” “A naked treat?” Allison tilted her head back and kissed him. “Maaaaaybe.” 

That was all that it took for Daryl to agree to eat all the vegetables on his plate, even the three pieces of broccoli which he hated beyond comprehension. “Done!” he declared before Allison hardly swallowed her third bite. “Jesus, D! You could have chewed!” “Nah. Chewin’s for pussies.” Allison nearly choked on her food. “Well, be patient. I prefer not to inhale my dinner.” Daryl growled and poked out his bottom lip. “Stop it,” she laughed again. “How about you go pick out a movie and we’ll pretend to watch it? I’m almost finished and I’ll be right in.” Daryl grabbed his plate and fork and washed it before heading into the living room. 

When Allison came into the living room, she found Daryl slouched low on the couch with his legs spread wide. He’d pulled the big, stuffed ottoman over in front of him. The lights were dim and the TV was on, just waiting for the movie to be started. “Naked,” Daryl said pointedly, waving a finger around indicating that her clothes were bothering him. “I supposed a deal is a deal, huh?” “Yup. Now, take off your clothes.” Allison stood in front of him and slowly began shedding her tank top and shorts. She stopped when she was down to her bra and panties, but Daryl clearly disapproved. “All of it. The deal was all the vegetables for all of the clothes.” Allison shook her head but was laughing at the same time. 

She crawled onto the ottoman with a particular goal in mind, but Daryl had other plans. “Unh uh. I get to play first,” he chided. “C’mon back here. I want you to sit right up against me.” She snuggled right in and Daryl pushed her legs apart with his. “Right to it, huh?” “Mmmm hmmm. Been thinkin’ about this all day. Can’t wait any longer to get my hands on ya.” His arm slid across her chest, his rough palm rubbing over her breasts. “Love the way these feel in my hands. Like they were made for ‘em.” Allison closed her eyes and purred at the feel of his hands. “You’re so fuckin’ beautiful.” Daryl kissed her smooth neck, sucking little purple marks where he’d learned she was most responsive. Allison moved her hips around, pressing herself against Daryl’s hard cock. “Patience, sweetheart. You’ll get that, but I’m gonna have a little bit of fun first.” 

Slowly, his hand glided down the flat plane of her belly. His short nails gently raked across her skin. She trembled under him. “This is mine, Allison. I wanna hear you say it.” He cupped her mound with his hand, one finger sliding between her folds and honed in on her clit like a heat-seeking missile. “Tell me it’s all mine, Allison.” She writhed against his hand to get more friction where it felt so good. “I’m yours, Daryl. All yours.” He gripped one of her breasts hard with one hand and plunged his fingers inside of her with his other. “Damn right you’re all mine.” Allison dug her nails into his thighs and cried out his name. He was being rougher with her than he had been, but it was so damn good. “Ya like when I make you tell me that you belong to me?” “Oh my God, yes!”   
Allison was like a ragdoll against him. Her arms were behind him, holding on to his hair. Daryl’s face was buried against her neck, licking, sucking, kissing, and biting every inch he could get to. Allison thrust herself against his fingers and she was moaning loudly as he got her closer and closer to her orgasm. They were so wrapped up in what they were doing that they didn’t hear the light tapping on the door, nor did they hear when Carol came in. She’d forgotten her book on canning and there was something that she had planned to read up on tonight so she and Allison could work on it the next day. She stepped just past the foyer and got her eyes full of a very naked Allison having very dirty things done to her by a very eager Daryl. She slapped her hands over her mouth to stifle the shocked yelp from coming out and beat a hasty retreat right back out the door. Her cheeks burned as she practically ran back home. She had no idea how she was going to get that image out of her mind and face either of them again.

Much later, after Daryl and Allison were satisfied many times over, they were lying in bed talking. “So Carol asked me if I was living with you now.” Daryl tilted his head to look at Allison. He wanted to try to gauge her expression. “Oh yeah? What’d ya tell her?” Allison traced a lazy pattern on his chest with her finger. “I told her that you asked me to come stay for a few days because I wasn’t ready to deal with the infirmary just yet.” “Mmmm.” Daryl was quiet for a while. He rubbed his hand up and down Allison’s back as he thought. Allison thought that the conversation was done and she was beginning to doze. “Why don’t you just move in here?” She was suddenly very awake and frozen where she lay. “Are you serious? Isn’t that kind of fast?” Daryl instantly felt that niggle of self-doubt and tried to guard himself for rejection and for her to laugh at him. “You don’t have to,” he sounded way gruffer than he intended. “Hey,” Allison started as she sat up on her knees. “I’m not saying no. I just want to make sure that we’re both ready to take that step. Don’t get upset, baby.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “I ain’t mad. Sorry for sounding like a dick. It’s just… I like havin’ ya here. I like knowing that I’m comin’ home to ya at the end of the day. Plus, ya hafta admit that you sleep better when you’re with me.” Allison smiled down at him and thought about what he was saying. “Well, Dixon, I have to say, you make a hell of a compelling argument.” He pulled her down and kissed her. “So, you sayin’ you wanna shack up with me?” “I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather live in sin with.”


	13. Chapter 13

The chill of fall was in the air and the gray sky had everyone wondering if they were going to have another harsh winter. A lot of their group had never seen snow like they’d had last winter, but Allison loved it. The cold and the snow made things quiet, almost as if the world didn’t exist beyond the confines of the walls surrounding them. Daryl, Rick, and some of the others were talking about going on a run to get what cold-weather supplies they could find. Some of the kids needed a larger size in winter clothing and they all could use new boots and shoes if they could be found. 

Allison was back working in the infirmary with Siddiq. Enid came to Allison soon after they buried Carl and apologized for her outburst. Allison, of course, told her that there was nothing to apologize for. She got it. Enid’s actions came from a bottomless well of grief and despair, which Allison knew more than she cared to know about. She hadn’t told anyone about her brother. Talking about Nate was too hard. She knew that she would eventually open up to Daryl about him, but holding on to her memories of Nate and not sharing was how she’d survived losing him. Enid and Tara were learning more and more about providing patient care with Siddiq, and so was she. As much as she wanted to hate him and blame him for Carl, Allison found that he was a very skilled and compassionate doctor. As soon as she was moved out from her place above the infirmary, Siddiq moved in. The last few months had been hard and it had been an adjustment for everyone, but things were finally beginning to feel normal again.

Daryl came out of the council meeting and headed to the infirmary to see if Allison was free to come home. They had a plan for heading out to scavenge what they needed and he wanted to talk with her about it. “Allison around?” he asked Tara. “Umm, yeah,” Tara replied, looking behind her. “She was organizing the med closet.” Daryl walked to the back of the large treatment area and found Allison bent over in front of an open closet. He quickly checked that no one was looking and grabbed her ass. “Hey, sweetheart. The meeting is over. I just stopped by to see how much longer you were gonna be.” Allison turned and coiled her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. “I’m just finishing up and then I’m all yours. How did the meeting go?” “Good. We’ve got a solid plan in place. We’re gonna head out at first light.” 

As they were walking home, Allison couldn’t hold it back any longer. She’d been thinking about going along on this run since it was first mentioned, but she didn’t know how Daryl would feel about it. “So, um, I was thinking,” she stammered. Daryl looked at her from the side of his eyes. “I should come along on this run. The weather is colder now, and there are more chances of injuries with the cold temperatures and if it were to rain. Plus, I can help get the things that the kids need.” Daryl’s first reaction was that there was no way in hell he was going to let her go outside the walls, but he had promised himself that things with Allison were going to be different. He was trying his hardest not to lash out or go off half-cocked based only on his first reaction. He focused on his breathing and counting, something he’d read in one of the books he’d found on overcoming past abuse. He learned that his instant reaction, which was often anger, was a product of what he’d survived. By lashing out with anger, it gave him some kind of control over the situation which was something he never had when he was growing up. Now that he was grown and living a different life, he craved having that power and control of himself and whatever current situation. He could have that in a lot of different ways and he was trying hard to learn to deal with things in a more healthy way and to also understand that he wouldn’t always get to have all of the control. Sometimes though, it pissed him off and he would clench his teeth so hard that he was sure that he was going to break them. 

“Allison, I’m not,” he let out a hard, closed-mouth breath. “I don’t like the idea of you outside of the walls. I know that you’re capable of handling yourself, but I couldn’t handle seeing something happen to you.” They stopped on their porch and sat on the swing together. Daryl pulled out his pack of smokes and lit two, handing one to Allison. “I know, baby. But, I can’t just be here worrying every single second that you’re gone. Besides, Rick thought that having a run medic was a good idea. Siddiq is here with Tara and Enid and they are more than capable of taking care of anything that happens while we’re gone. Please. Please at least think about it before you say no.” Fuck. She had him right by the balls on this one. Hell, he’d even told her that having a run medic was a good idea, too. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. He wanted to be pissed and tell her that her place was here, but that wasn’t who he was deep down. He hated guys who told their women that they belonged at home taking care of them and making babies. 

They sat together quietly, smoking their cigarettes and holding hands while they both thought about doing this run together. Allison waited patiently for Daryl to come to his decision. She told herself that no matter what he decided she would respect it. She knew that his heart would be in the right place no matter what choice he made. She’d be mad and a little hurt if he decided she should stay, but she would accept it. “C’mon,” he said, startling her out of her thoughts. She looked at him questioningly. “We need to talk to Rick and make sure he’s still on board with you going. Plus, we need to get you a few more weapons to carry.” 

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Allison was sitting in her and Daryl’s walk-in closet, checking the thigh pouches that she’d packed with first aid supplies and medicines. After they talked with Rick, she and Daryl went to Olivia’s basement and armed her with a pistol and ammo. Daryl also insisted that she was to carry a rifle. He knew that it was heavy and the added weight would be cumbersome, but Allison could handle it. He needed the reassurance that she had all that she needed to protect herself if she needed it. 

“You gonna come and eat something? Dinner’s getting cold.” Daryl was leaned up against the doorframe with his ankles crossed. “I was just checking that I have everything we might need. Are you sure you’re ok with me going?” He nodded, chewing his bottom lip. “Mmm-hmm. You’ll be with me and I’ll keep you safe.”   
“Wake up, sweetheart,” Daryl whispered. Allison stirred and rubbed her eyes, trying to make her brain come alive. “What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice still thick with sleep. “Nothin’ honey.” Allison was lying on her stomach and Daryl hovered over her, sweeping her hair to the side. “I know it’s late, but I need you.” He kissed his way down her spine to the little dimples in the small of her back above her ass. She turned her head and smiled down at him as he looked through his lashes at her. He settled himself between her legs and eased his fingers into her wet folds. Allison raised her hips just a little to give him better access. His soft lips kissed a random trail on her back as he slowly worked his fingers in and out of her. “I’m yours, baby. You have all of me,” she professed in a sigh. Daryl gripped his shaft in his hand and rubbed the head between her slit a few times before sliding into her. 

“Oh God, baby!” she cried. Daryl held her hips, his thumbs resting against the little dimples on her back. Soon, she was rolling her hips and thrusting against him. “Touch yourself for me, sweetheart.” Allison moaned loudly as she slid her fingers between her legs. “Fuck yeah. That’s it, baby girl. Don’t stop.” Daryl laid his head in the center of her back and slowly fucked into her for what felt like a lifetime. He hadn’t bothered with a condom this time. He wanted to feel her so soft and wet and warm all around him. “C’mon, Allison. I’m not gonna last.” His movements sped up as Allison cried out, coming closer and closer to her release. “Cum, Allison. Do it. I’m… Oh, fuck…” Daryl pulled out just in time and came onto her back in hot, wet spurts. “You didn’t use a condom?” Allison asked, a little confused. They were always very careful because they were nowhere near ready to bring a baby into this relationship, much less into this hard world. “Sorry. I just had to feel you. I pulled out.” He told her that last part as if she didn’t know that he’d just cum all over her back. She wasn’t angry or upset. “It’s ok, babe. I like you bare.” He cleaned off her back with his t-shirt from the night before. “C’mere, beautiful. We still got time before we have to get up. Let’s get some more shuteye.” 

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The convoy of three vehicles, a van, a box truck, and an SUV rolled out of the gates of Alexandria at sunup. Everyone had their weapons and provisions and were ready to head out just as planned. Daryl and Allison took the SUV, Abraham and Sasha took the box truck, and Rick and Michonne took the van. They were headed to the next town north of here. Some of the locals suggested that it was a posh area and it may not have been hit too hard. The whole town was basically gated. So, with their fingers crossed, they headed north. 

Allison kept her eyes open, keeping watch for any place off the beaten path that might provide them safety if they had to bail. That was her self-imposed job. She hadn’t been outside the walls on a run in a long time, but it was always the same. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. The general consensus was that they would have a better shot with the neighboring town to the north. They traveled for three hours with almost no snarls or hiccups. The town, however, was chock-full of damn walkers. The convoy found a spot on the backside of town and stopped to figure out their Plan B. 

“We could always go a little further north,” Michonne suggested. Daryl shook his head. “Don’t need to push going too far. We get too far out then we won’t have the fuel to make it back. I’m gonna slip in the back and see if we can get in and out that way. Might have to carry the shit back to the vehicles, but it’s better than nothin’.” Rick agreed with Daryl. “I’ll come with you. Abe, ladies, y’all stay here. We have walkies.” He and Daryl left before anyone could protest. 

It took them almost an hour to get there, scout things out, and get back. Allison had never felt such relief as she did when she saw Daryl and Rick emerging from the woodline. She ran over and planted the biggest, hardest kiss on Daryl’s lips, thoroughly embarrassing him. He knew that everyone knew that they did this sort of stuff, but he was still so shy and awkward when it came to matters of PDA. “There’s a service road that leads right into the back of a strip mall. It’s gated and there are no walkers back there. We checked a few of the stores and they didn’t appear to have been hit too hard.” Allison was thrilled to hear Rick tell them that they were likely going to be able to get all of the things they needed. “Listen, we get in, get everything we can get, and we get out. Everybody keep your head up and keep your focus. We’re all going home at the end of this.” 

They agreed that they would split off into groups of two. Each couple would take a store and gather as much as they could. A person from each group was responsible for keeping track of the time. They were to meet back at their vehicles in one hour. 

Daryl and Allison quietly made their way into an Old Navy. They each grabbed a cart and headed to the kid's section first. They piled all of the warm clothes and jeans they could get in their carts and took it to the back of the store by the door they came in. They made trip after trip, getting clothes in a variety of sizes and piling it all at the door so they could load it into the box truck. When the hour was up, they all met at the vehicles and planned on which store they were going into next. 

This was their pattern for the entire day. They secured a home goods store early on so they could sleep there for the night and head out the next morning, that way they could continue gathering what they could for the community. Daryl was overjoyed to find a beef jerky outlet. There was every kind of jerky in every conceivable flavor you could imagine. Allison laughed as he swept armload after armload of the packaged meat into his cart and unloaded it into the back of the SUV. “Don’t laugh,” he grumbled. “This shit is good for taking on runs and when I go hunting.” Well, he did have a point. “Do you think we could go into that high-end kitchen store when we’re done here? I want to see what kind of stuff they have that might still be edible.” He nodded. “Yeah. That’s a good idea, sweetheart.” 

Allison’s idea had indeed been a good one. There were all kinds of mixes, spices, and dried pasta, as well as packages of crackers and cookies that were all still vacuum sealed. There were also cans of nuts of every sort and the motherload of chocolate. There were boxes and boxes of every kind of chocolate bar you could imagine. They took all of the food. There were crates of summer sausages that were likely still safe to eat, and packages of dried fruits and even powdered soup mixes. Daryl was proud of Allison for this idea. He would have taken one look at the store and thought that there was only expensive cookware and dishes and not given it another thought. Having her along had proven to be the best idea, which was also hers. He was going to try his hardest to let her know that he thought she’d been a great asset for this run. She hadn’t just found them a bunch of food, but she’d gotten a lot of clothing items that he didn’t even consider. 

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The night felt endless. They worked until it was too dark to continue to safely move around in the stores and they headed into the home goods shop to bed down for the night. Sasha and Abe took first watch. Daryl, Allison, Rick, and Michonne set up makeshift beds for them to sleep on, but no one was able to sleep. It was weird being in the store and the sound of the walkers out front was louder than they were used to hearing. 

“Y’alright?” Daryl asked when she flopped onto her back with an exasperated huff. “Can’t sleep. Sorry if I woke you.” She, of course, knew that she hadn’t. He was squirming as much as she was. “We’ll be back home in our own bed soon.” Allison sat up, looking around as much as she could in the dark space. There were some blankets and things that she really liked and was considering taking some things for her and Daryl to use in their house. She felt a little greedy about it, but, hey, they were the ones out on this run. What would be so bad about taking a little something back that was just for them? Daryl sat up and rubbed his hand up and down her back. “I wanted you to know that you did real good today. You found us a bunch more shit than we would have found if you hadn’t been with us.” Allison laid her head on his shoulder. “Thanks, babe. I tried.” “You did better than that. You really came through for all of us. Everyone is going to have new, warm clothes and shoes, and even food because you thought about shit that none of us woulda. I’m proud of ya.” 

Daryl noticed her eyeing some things and asked if she wanted something. “I mean, there are some things that I like and would be nice to have. “Why didn’t you say somethin’? I’ll get it for ya. Just gotta tell me what ya want.” They were quiet on their side of the store so as not to disturb Rick and Michonne. Daryl made a little pile of the things that she wanted, and he even picked out a few things for their house. “I like this,” he admitted. “It’s like we’re shopping for our place.” “God, you’re adorable.” Daryl grumbled and bumped his shoulder into hers. “Don’t go tellin’ people that. I got an image to protect.” Allison had to cover her mouth to keep from loudly laughing. “C’mon. We need to get some sleep before we go on watch.”


	14. Chapter 14

“Hey,” Daryl said groggily. “Come back to bed.” Allison had been having trouble sleeping for the past few nights and Daryl would wake up, find her on the couch, and coax her back to bed every time. “You’re freezing,” he noted as he rubbed her legs. She rubbed her heavy eyes and nodded. “Sorry that I keep causing you to wake up.” Daryl told her that it was ok, putting his arm around her waist as he led them out of the living room. “You wanna talk about it?” Allison shook her head. “It’s just my stupid insomnia. I’ll be alright.” 

If it was only insomnia, she didn’t have any trouble getting to sleep once they were back in bed. Daryl pulled the thick blankets over them and held her close. He wished that he knew what was bugging her. What little she had slept in the bed for the past few nights had been fitful and full of dreams that caused her to call out and talk in her sleep. She looked beat during the day, and by dinnertime, she looked downright catatonic. It was a good thing that they had the day off from their duties. They both needed a day to do nothing. Maybe he could convince her to spend the day in bed. Not that it would be easy for him to do, but she needed to rest. 

He woke up early, as he always did. Allison was out cold. He stoked the fire and added a few logs in the fireplace in their bedroom and then headed down to do the same in the living room. For late October, it was already really cold. He made his way into the kitchen and started some coffee. Daryl had been going to Carol on the down low to learn how to cook. He didn’t want Allison to feel like she was his live-in chef, plus, he wanted to do something special for her on occasion. He knew enough of the basics by now that he felt he could make her a decent breakfast. He took inventory of what they had and settled on making some roasted potatoes, bacon, eggs, and toast with some apple butter that Allison had made and canned. 

The bedroom was warm and the curtains were drawn to keep the heat in and keep out the light. Daryl had made sure to close the door behind him when he went downstairs. Even with all of that, the bed felt empty without him in it, and Allison woke up shortly after he got up. She tried to go back to sleep. Her body was begging for it, but her mind just wouldn’t let her be. She decided that a nice, hot shower would go a long way to making her feel better, so she reluctantly left the heaven of her warm blankets and stumbled to the shower.

“Something smells good,” she stated as she walked into the kitchen. Daryl was just taking the potatoes out of the oven. “Mornin’, beautiful. You sleep ok?” Allison nodded and filled a mug with coffee. “I got you a bottle of that flavored syrup you like and there’s some milk in the fridge.” She rubbed her fingers across his shoulder as she went to get the milk. “You surprise me every single day. I’m one lucky lady.” Daryl looked at her tired eyes and kissed the tip of her nose. “Go get comfortable on the couch. I made breakfast. We’re spending the whole day in our house with the door locked and the curtains closed. We’ll watch movies or whatever you wanna do.” 

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Most of the day was spent wrapped up in blankets on the couch watching TV. Thanks to Eugene and a spare solar panel they were able to use all of the kitchen appliances as well as the television. 

Daryl was laying on his side and Allison was below him with her head on his hip. He mindlessly played with her hair while they watched episodes of The X Files. “Daryl, I think I need to talk about what’s keeping me up at night.” He carefully sat up and turned off the show. If she needed to talk, she was going to have his undivided attention. “C’mere, sweetheart. You can tell me anything.” Allison already had tears stinging her eyes. This was going to be a hard conversation to have. Of all of the conversations and all of the things she and Daryl had shared about themselves, she had never once spoken of her brother. Now, not only was she going to tell his story, but she worried that Daryl would be upset with her for keeping it from him for so long. “Hey,” he said gently, cupping her face with his hands. “No matter what it is, it’s ok. I promise you.” 

Nate was her younger brother, not by much though. They were Irish twins. They were only ten months apart in age. Nate was technically her half-brother, being that he was her step-dad’s real child and she was the extra baggage. The sun rose and set on Nate as far as her parents were concerned. He was the golden child, their baby. Allison was always looked at as the red-headed step-child. Nonetheless, she adored her brother, and he adored her. They played together and shared a childhood filled with their own adventures. When Allison turned eighteen, she was told that she was no longer welcome to live in the house she’d grown up in. Nate was furious and things came to blows with him and his dad. Allison and Nate packed their clothes and left that very night, never looking back. They stayed with friends until between the two of them they had enough money to rent an apartment. 

Things were good for the first few months. Nate went to school during the day and worked his part-time job at night. Allison was working two jobs and saving as much money as she could so that she and Nate could continue their education. It was hard at times, but they somehow made it work. But then Nate met some new friends who got him doing drugs. Allison had never had a problem with weed. They smoked together on occasion, but anything harder than that was a solid NO as far as she was concerned. When Allison found out, she went straight up to Nate’s friends and had a ‘Come to Jesus’ chat with them. First, she threatened to turn them into the police, when that didn’t work, she pulled her out her knife and told them she would gut them like pigs, and she meant it. Nate was pissed about it and refused to speak to her for a few weeks. She supposed that he was coming down and getting clean during that time, but he came around and told her that she had been right. He realized that he was on a dangerous path and he was glad that she’d set him straight. 

A few years later, Allison was working as a paramedic and Nate was taking online classes for computer programming. He was a star student, making straight A’s in all of his classes. Allison was making decent money, so she had Nate cut back on his work hours so he could focus on school. Things were going better than she could have hoped for. She was proud of them both. They had worked so hard to make something of themselves and hadn't gone back to their parents begging for help. They were living in a bigger, nicer apartment and there was food on the table. They were able to get grants for most of their college, and loans for the rest. Life had turned around for the better.

What Allison didn’t know was that Nate saw how hard she was working to make a good life for them and sacrificing so much for him, he wanted to go beyond her expectations to make her proud. It started out simply enough. One of Nate’s friends told him that Adderall would help him focus and stay awake on those late nights when he was cramming for a test. One thing led to another and Nate was soon dabbling in coke and meth. He only did the hard stuff when he was behind on school work and trying to bang it out. It hadn’t caused his grades to fall, in fact, they improved. Allison never knew that he was even taking Adderall. 

“He was always studying or working, and I was working. Still, I should have seen the signs. He was losing weight and he was up all hours of the night.” She hesitated, willing the squeezing in her chest to relax so she could tell the rest of this and not lose her mind while she did it. “I came home from a late shift. The light was on in Nate’s room, so I knocked. I was just going to let him know I was home and check in on him. When he didn’t answer, I opened the door. He was on the floor beside his desk. He was covered in vomit and his eyes were open. I knew that something was very, very wrong as soon as I saw his color, so I started CPR and called 911. For some reason, I brought in my jump bag that night. I never did that before. I had Narcan and I gave it to him. I didn’t know that he’d OD’d but that’s what we were taught to assume since the opioid problem was so bad. I was actually trying to intubate him when the other paramedics came. I remember screaming at them when they said that there was nothing they could do. He was cold and his pupils were fixed and dilated. He was too far gone for anything to be done.

Allison broke down. Daryl held her head against his chest as she wailed much like she had that night. His heart ached for her. They had worked so hard and overcome so damn much for it to end like that. “Shhhh… I know it hurts, baby. Just let it all out. I’ve got ya.” 

By the time she was all cried out, Daryl’s shirt was wet and her eyes burned. “I had to call my parents. I had to sit there and take it while they blamed me for letting him die. Nate got ahold of some meth that was laced with fentanyl. The guy he got it from mixed up the bags and Nate got the wrong one.” “I’m so sorry you went through that. It wasn’t your fault. You did everything to raise him during the hardest years of a kid’s life and you kept him on the straight and narrow. You and him accomplished a hell of a lot for starting out with nothing. He made a mistake, but the way I see it is that he was only trying to make you proud. And, fuck your parents. They’re wrong. You took care of him and kept him outta trouble. You did right by him, Allison. Don’t ever doubt that.”

“Are you mad that I never told you about him?” Daryl looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes. “Nah, honey. You protected yourself from the hurt by keeping it to yourself. I get it. It’s why I don’t talk about Merle all that much. All I know about what happened to Merle is that he was on a rooftop, spouting some bullshit until they had no choice but to handcuff him. I went back, a bunch of us did. I found his hand. The bastard was tough enough to cut it off and then cauterize the wound. I couldn’t track him after that.” 

“Oh, Daryl, baby. I’m so sorry.” Daryl shrugged a shoulder. “It is what it is. He’s either alive or he ain’t, but there ain’t nothin’ I can do about it. This group is my family. They showed me what love is and what a family is really supposed to be like. And you showed me what this kind of love is. I know I ain’t said it before, but I do. I love you, Allison.” She stared at him with her big doe-like eyes and smiled through the tears that once again filled her eyes. “I love you, Daryl.”

Daryl had never felt the way he did when he finally told her what was in his heart. He loved her. He had for some time now. He isn’t a man with all of the fancy words and professions of feelings, he’s always been the type to show what he was feeling rather than express it. “We’ve been through so much bad shit, Allison. I want something different for you and me. I want us to get to be happy and to have the kind of life we deserve. Tell me you want that with me.” Two tears rolled down each of her cheeks as she whispered, “I do.” Daryl pressed their foreheads together and his breath shuddered as he tried to hold back his own emotions. “God, I fuckin’ love you.” They kissed and cried together, neither breaking apart to wipe away their tears. 

Daryl pulled her onto his lap. Their hands and kisses were desperate but loving and passionate. They needed one another in the most primal way. Every second that passed became more heated than the last. Daryl had a need to show her how much he craved her every minute of the day. He fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her head back and kissed a blazing trail all over her neck. Allison cried out his name and it was the sweetest sound, maybe even sweeter now that they had professed their love. 

Her hair spilled over her shoulders as Daryl pulled her shirt over her head. He tossed it aside and kissed down the center of her chest. His fingers fumbled with the clasp of her bra for a brief moment before he finally unhooked it and slid it down her arms. His rough, warm hands cupped each of her pert breasts as went from one to the next, sucking her perky nipples. “I love these so much,” he praised. Allison ground herself against his hard-on, making him moan into her flesh. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight as he took them to the floor. Their bed would be better, but he wasn’t going to waste another minute just to get her upstairs. His lips and tongue battled hers for dominance as he pulled at her sleep pants and underwear. He got them low enough that she was able to kick them off and they both pushed at his pants until they were off enough. He didn’t care that they were only half-way down his thighs. He needed Allison right fucking now. 

The weeping head of his cock was just pressed against her needy entrance when he realized they didn’t have protection. “Shit. No condom.” “Don’t care,” Allison said against his lips as she began kissing him again. “I’ll pull out,” he promised. Allison just nodded. She couldn’t care less about any of that right now. Nothing mattered but being with Daryl in this way. He pushed into her slowly, his eyes rolled back at the feel of her on his bare cock. “Goddamn, that’s nice.” Allison whimpered beneath him, pulling at him to be closer to her. His chest was against hers, his sparse patches of hair tickling her as he moved. He slowly thrust into her, taking his time to enjoy feeling her without the barrier of a condom separating their flesh. Allison locked her legs around his waist. Her body flushed with heat and she tingled so much she felt almost numb. She only felt Daryl. His skin pressed to hers, his breath against her cheek, the way his hair tickled her lips, and his heart pounding against her chest. It was intoxicating. 

Daryl took her hands, intertwining his fingers with hers, and held them against the floor. His hips rocked into her harder and faster. His breathy moans steadily became louder. “C’mere,” he commanded. He sat them up and leaned his back against the couch. Allison threaded her fingers into his hair and rose up on her knees, all the way to the tip of his length and slithered back down. Daryl’s head fell back onto the couch cushion, tendons stood out on his thick neck enticing Allison. She ran her tongue from the dip at the bottom of his throat, over his Adam’s apple, then over to his pulse point where she bit down before sucking hard. He dug his fingers into her ass and gasped. “Jesus… Do it again,” he rasped. She licked to the other side of his neck and found the pulse point there. Daryl took her hands in his and held them against the small of her back. He let out an ululating cry that drove Allison wild. Daryl let go of one of her hands and grabbed the back of her neck, holding her head against his. “I’m so close, Daryl,” Allison keened. Daryl thrust against her, moving in time with her downward strokes. “Come on, baby. Come on,” he begged. He was getting close and was trying hard to get her there before he had to pull out. “Let it go, baby girl.” Allison jerked her hands free and grasped his shoulders. Daryl grabbed her hips and worked her body harder and faster on his cock. “Don’t stop, don’t stop, don’t stop. Please, please don’t stop!” She was right there, and so was Daryl. He was one stroke away from having to pull her off of him when he felt her walls clench around him, constricting and relaxing in hard waves and there was nothing he could do. It happened too fast. Feeling her squeezing his dick and then fluttering around it while she screamed his name sent him over and he came inside her. 

Allison was well and truly spent as she started to come down from her intense orgasm when she felt the last few twitches of him and she was slammed with the realization of what had just happened. “Oh shit,” she said, wide-eyed. “Yeah. Umm, I didn’t mean to.” She fell against him and nestled her head into the crook of his neck. “Whatever happens is meant to be. We’re not going to worry about it until we have to.” Daryl nodded, kissing the side of her head. He was already worried about it. They knew better than to take a gamble without protection, but they allowed themselves to get caught up in the heat of the moment. Allison was absolutely panicked. She wouldn’t tell Daryl, though. They were going to have to get better control of themselves, and maybe stash condoms around the house for just-in-case moments. The countdown was on. She was due to get her period in about two weeks, which meant that she was most fertile right now. Dammit. 

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Daryl was on his side behind Allison on the couch. The fire was roaring and she felt so good in his arms. He was warm and happy and comfortable and just beginning to fall asleep. “Daryl,” Allison said almost too quiet to hear. “Hmmm?” “Do you… Do you think we should look for some morning-after pills? I don’t even know if they would work now since everything is expired, but I, ya know, was wondering what you thought.” Clearly she was worried that she might now be pregnant and he was, too. He was also oddly calm about it. Up until now, he hadn’t given much thought about being a dad, but they wanted a chance to be happy and have all the things they deserve to have, and a chance to live life to the fullest. 

He thought about what she was asking for a time and then gave her his honest and true-to-heart answer. “No. We didn’t mean for anything to happen, but if it does, it does. If it didn’t, we’ll be a lot more careful. I love you. I can see us with a family. I’d like it to be later ‘cause I want ya all to myself, but I don’t want to do anything to make it not happen if it’s now.” Allison turned to face him, rubbing her fingers across his jaw. “You really mean that?” He gave her a curt nod. “I do.” “Ok. We’ll take whatever comes our way. I love you, baby. Thank you for being such a good man.” She kissed him and nuzzled closer.


	15. Chapter 15

“Daryl, we have to go on this run. We need to find a pharmacy that hasn’t been completely cleaned out.” A wave of the flu had spread through the community and they were running out of anything that would reduce fever, especially for the little ones. “I can’t let people potentially die because I don’t have anything to give them.” Daryl knew it, but he damn sure didn’t like it. They still didn’t know if Allison was pregnant or not and the idea of her going out on a run was making him insane with worry. “What about aspirin? You said we have a lot of it.” She shook her head. “It’s fine for most adults, but kids can have serious complications from taking aspirin. We only have a few days’ worth of Tylenol and Motrin and we have new cases of the flu coming in by the hour.” “What if I take someone else with me?” “No. I want to go because there may be more meds that we need. If there’s anything left, I want to get what we can.” Daryl was frustrated beyond words. Allison had come home from the infirmary, exhausted, and exposed to everyone who had the flu, and now it looked like they were going on a run.

“What if you’re pregnant?” Daryl asked with deep concern. “If I am we’ll deal with it. It’s almost time for my period. I should be getting it in a couple of days. These people, our people, need meds now.” He roughly ran a hand through his hair and huffed. “Fine. We go first thing in the morning. You do everything I tell you, got it?” “Yes, sir,” Allison deadpanned. “I’ll be upstairs awaiting my orders.” He’d pissed her off and that was not his intention. He started up the stairs after her, calling her name, but she shot daggers at him with her eyes so he backed off for now.

Allison went straight into the bathroom, slamming the door as hard as she could so he’d be sure to know that she was angry. She turned on the shower and stepped in. Daryl knows that she can handle herself. Even if she is pregnant, it’s only a bunch of cells right now, so it’s more protected than if she was further along. The more she thought about it the angrier she became. She had to calm herself down because at the rate she was going to make her scalp bleed as hard as she was scrubbing it. 

Daryl was waiting on their bed when she came out of the bathroom. “I brought a peace offering,” Daryl said softly. Allison had a temper and she was well aware of it. She held her tongue and stood there in her towel with her arms crossed. “Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bark orders at ya. I just worry.” He came over to where she was standing and rubbed his hands down her arms. “Think ya can forgive me?” Allison shrugged her shoulders. “Depends.” He tilted her head back with his thumb and fingers. “Oh yeah? Depends on what?” “What kind of peace offering you brought me.” He pulled a chocolate bar from his back pocket. “I got ya the dark chocolate one with caramel and sea salt. I know it’s your favorite.” She reached for it, but Daryl pulled it back. “Unh uh. Can’t have it until ya forgive me.” Allison tried to keep a pout on her face, but she failed miserably and broke into a smile. “Fine. Now, give me my damn chocolate.” “Not til ya kiss me.” She kissed him and it was long and sweet. “I’m sorry I lost my temper.” “Ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for. It was all me. I love ya, sweetheart. I promise to try to always do better.” Allison sank into his arms and felt like the luckiest girl in the whole world.”

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“Run, Allison! We gotta get ahead of them!” Daryl called as they ran further and further into the woods. They encountered a herd of walkers and had to abandon their car and make a break for the forest on the other side of the highway. Allison was running as fast as she could, but their luck just kept getting worse. It was raining now, only it felt more like slush than actual rain. Allison kept slipping in the mud and was getting tired. “We’re doin’ good, sweetheart. Just gotta run a little further.” Her cheeks were red from the cold and from exertion. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Come on. You can do this. She tried to convince herself that they would soon find a safe place to land for a breather, but she wasn’t so sure. No matter how far ahead they seemed to get, they could still hear the walkers moaning behind them. 

They came to a clearing and Daryl walked up ahead. “Fuck!” Allison made her way toward him and saw what he was upset about. “Holy shit that’s a drop!” They both were out of breath and Daryl was frantically trying to calculate their next move. “I think if we go either way,” he waved his finger from side-to-side, “we’ll run right back into ‘em.” Allison looked at him incredulously. “So, what’s our plan?” Daryl bent and rested his hands on his knees. “We wait to see if we lost ‘em. If we did, we make camp.” “And if we didn’t?” He answered her with his eyes. “No. No way. I- I can’t do that Daryl. I’m afraid of heights.” It sounded ridiculous even to her. Her other option was to die by walkers and that seemed to be an even worse idea. “If we have to jump, just hold my hand. I’ll be with ya the whole time.” 

Paralyzing fear gripped her and she froze where she was. She didn’t know if she could actually do it. What if she pulled back at the last second and caused Daryl to get hurt in the fall? Soon it would all be out of her hands. The sound of walkers drew nearer and louder. “Baby, we gotta do it.” She looked at him with terror in her eyes. “You trust me?” She shakily nodded. “It’s gonna be cold but the shore is close enough. We’ll find shelter and we’ll be ok.” He watched the hard rise and fall of her chest and kissed her. “Take my hand and don’t let go.” He walked them back a few paces and told her that they were gonna run on three and jump outward when they got to the edge. “Got it? You with me, baby?” “On three, jump out. Got it.” “That’s my girl. We’ll be fine. Promise.” 

Allison couldn’t hear anything over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears, but as soon as Daryl started to run, so did she. She chanted don’t pull back over and over until their feet hit the edge. They both used the last footfall to push themselves out from the earth and began falling. She couldn’t scream and she couldn’t breathe. It was terrifying. Daryl broke the surface of the water first, followed by her only a second later. The icy water was shocking and painful. She heard Daryl’s muffled cries for her as she surfaced. “You ok, sweetheart?” She was trying not to scream from the residual fear and from the freezing water. “C’mon. We gotta swim.”

As soon as they crawled out of the water on to the muddy bank, Allison began to cry. “We’re ok. It’s gonna be alright, baby.” She was violently shivering and they needed to find shelter right now. “I know it’s cold and I know everything hurts right now, but we gotta keep moving and find a place to take shelter. Can you do that for me?” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. 

The temperature continued to drop as they walked and walked. There was nothing around for miles. The slushy shit that had been coming down earlier was now snow. Just fucking terrific. Daryl and Allison took turns keeping each other talking. They knew that they had to or they were going to be in big trouble. All either of them wanted to do was to lie down right there and go to sleep. Also a hard no. So, they walked. The continued on some sort of random path that Daryl seemed to believe would lead them somewhere. Allison didn’t question him once, she just followed and tried to keep her mind off of the unbearable cold. 

“Hey,” Daryl slurred. “You see that?” He was so cold and so tired he wasn’t sure that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. “Oh my God! Please let it be empty!” Just as the night began to fall, Daryl and Allison happened upon a big old farmhouse way out in the middle of nowhere. They made their way around the property, making sure that the outside perimeter was clear before they checked to see if the inside was clear. Daryl insisted that Allison stay behind him. “You’re too cold and too tired to be on top of shit,” he explained. She was too exhausted to argue, so she held her knives and followed his lead. 

There were no walkers and no living people inside, much to their delight. “Strip out of your wet clothes and get under the blankets,” Daryl ordered. “I’m gonna try to find some dry wood to use to build a fire.” “Let me help you. We’ll get it done faster so we both can get warm.” She wasn’t taking no for an answer. Daryl reluctantly agreed to let her help. “Why don’t you see what you can find for us to eat? Maybe there’s something left in the kitchen.” The house was in perfect order aside from a layer of dust coating everything. Daryl only had to go as far as the back porch to find a massive stack of dry firewood. 

Allison discovered that the kitchen was filled with food. All of the cupboards were full, and there was a walk-in pantry that was filled with everything their hearts could desire. She grabbed a package of cookies and sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor and started shoving them in as fast as she could eat them. They needed real food, but with all of the calories they’d burned, they needed anything they could get in them. “I take it you found some food?” Daryl chuckled. Allison just nodded and pointed to the open cabinet. “We gotta get out of these wet clothes. You mind looking to see if you can find us something to wear?” She was already feeling a bit better with something on her stomach. “I’m on it.” 

It didn’t take long to get the place warmed up. Allison found them each a change of clothes and then set about securing all of the doors and windows downstairs. “You need to rest,” Daryl told her. “Let me finish up. You should go and stretch out in front of the fire.” She’d been quiet since she changed clothes and he was getting a little worried about her. “Allison? D’ya hear me?” “Huh? What? I’m sorry.” He made her look at him and he was concerned that her lips still had a bluish hue to them. “Go lay in front of the fire and get warm. I’ll finish that up and be right there.” She still had a vacant look in her eyes that bothered him, but she didn’t argue. 

She laid out several blankets on the floor and tossed the throw pillows from the couch on their makeshift bed, and then laid down facing the fire. She didn’t think she’d ever felt anything so nice. True to his word, Daryl was right along a few minutes later. The house was fully dark now that he’d turned the battery-operated lanterns off. She turned to him when she felt him slide under the blankets. “You ok, Allison?” She blinked and stared at his beautiful face. “I’m not pregnant.” His brow furrowed as he looked at her to explain. “When I changed clothes I saw that I got my period.” A surprising wave of disappointment struck him. “C’mere. I’m sorry, darlin’.” “Are you mad at me?” He looked down at her and felt terrible that she would even think that. “No! Not at all. Why would I be mad at you?” She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “I just thought maybe you’d think it was my fault because I insisted on this run and we’ve had nothing but shitty luck.” “I really hope you know better than that, Allison. Just ‘cause it didn’t happen this time don’t mean it ain’t never gonna happen. And it damn sure ain’t your fault.” She finally looked at him with tear-filled eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I thought you were some kind of an asshole. I don’t think that. I just didn’t want to disappoint you.” “It’s alright, baby. You’re tired and you need to sleep.” 

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Daryl and Allison slept until almost noon the next day. “Fuck,” Allison groaned as she tried to stretch. “Everything hurts.” Daryl moaned in response. He didn’t remember ever being as sore as he felt right now. “Yeah. Me too. ‘M starvin’.” “Me too. Can you get the fire going again? I’ll find something good to eat.” 

Allison was looking through the cabinets to find something for them to eat as well as a pot to cook it in when Daryl came back in from the back porch. His arms were loaded with firewood and he had snow in his hair. “We ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. We got about a foot of snow.” “Shut up! No way!” Allison went to the door and looked out at the blowing snow that was piling up on what was already covering the ground by several inches. She had the quirkiest little grin and it was cute as hell. “What are you grinnin’ about?” “Well, we’re here all alone and we won’t have any interruptions from anyone. This could be like our honeymoon or something.” Daryl snickered, shaking his head. “Yeah, some honeymoon. You got your period and there’s not even a decent restaurant.” Allison snarled her nose and stuck her tongue out. “You just sucked the fun right out of my idea.” “I never said that havin’ sex was off the table for me,” he teased. “Yeah, that’s gross.” “Well, just so ya know, I don’t care. Ain’t nothin’ that won’t wash off.” Allison smacked his ass as he walked past. “Pervert.” “Don’t hear ya complainin’,” he smiled impishly.


	16. Chapter 16

Daryl was the first one to crash when they laid down their second night at the farmhouse. Allison chalked it up to all of the running and walking they’d done, most of it while they were soaked to the bone. She watched him sleep and ran her fingers through his hair. He was adorable when he slept. He was on his side with one hand under his cheek. His lips were parted just the tiniest bit. Every once in a while he would make soft noises and then smile. She was glad that he was having happy dreams. She hated those nights where he would wake up, shouting and violently shaking. He never talked about those dreams. If she had to guess, she figured they were likely about his father. 

“Baby,” Allison groaned as she nudged Daryl. “Wake up. You need a drink of water or something.” He started coughing sometime after they were asleep. It wasn’t bad at first, but it kept getting worse and more frequent. “I don’t feel so good.” His voice sounded hoarse and raspy. Allison reached over and laid her hand on his forehead. “You’re burning up. I’ll go find you some medicine.” Ordinarily, Daryl would argue, but everything hurt so fucking bad. It wasn’t just from their triathlon either. Despite being in front of the fire, he was shivering. 

When Allison returned, she had a bottle of water, some ibuprofen, and a thermometer. “Hold this under your tongue,” she said sticking the digital instrument in his mouth. She started feeling under his ears and below his jawline and he flinched. “Sorry, honey. I know my hands are cold.” “Ain’t your hands. That hurts,” he mumbled. She looked at the thermometer and sighed. “Shit. Do you have a headache, sore throat, pain in your ears?” He nodded, swallowing down the pills. “So cold.” His teeth were chattering now. “Lie down and I’ll get you another blanket.”

By noon they both were fighting fevers and a horrible cough. “We have the flu,” Allison stated. “We have all of the same symptoms everyone was coming to the infirmary with.” Daryl growled and pulled the blankets under his chin. “Fuckin’ awesome. Got any more good news for me?” Daryl snarked. “I’m going to see if I can find some tea and honey. It’ll help with our cough.” Daryl turned onto his side and closed his tired eyes. He’d slept more in the last twenty-four hours than he usually did in a week. How could he still feel so crushingly exhausted? 

When he woke up a little while later, he found a couple of little cans of pineapple juice beside him. “The hell’s this for?” Good Lord, he was crabby. “It’s good for your cough. You need to drink it, and you need to take some Tylenol.” Allison sat up long enough to blow her nose. “I feel like death.” She snuggled against his back with her forehead between his shoulders and her arm thrown over his waist. His body radiated heat from his fever and it kept her from shivering. “Is this ok? I’m not hurting you am I?” Daryl curled his fingers around her small hand. “Yeah, darlin’. Feels good like this.” “I love you, D.” “Love you, too, sweetheart.” 

“Wake up, Alli Cat.” He had no idea what time it was, and it didn’t matter. His fever broke and he felt well enough to make them something to eat. He couldn’t remember the last time they ate. “Made ya some food.” Allison was slowly swimming toward wakefulness, but it was a struggle. “Ya need to eat, sweetheart.” Her eyes blinked heavily, her cheeks were bright red because of her fever. “I don’t wanna eat. Just wanna sleep.” He put their plates on the coffee table and positioned himself behind her. He’d feed her if he had to. She looked pitiful and they needed the vitamins and shit from the food he made for them. “You know ya gotta, darlin’. We need these vegetables.” It took him a long time to get her to eat most of what he brought for her. Allison kept falling asleep between bites of food. He let her lean back against his chest and he woke her every few minutes to take another bite until she just couldn't anymore. He eased her down in front of the fire and covered her with the thick blankets. He settled in beside her and pulled her close and that was how they slept for the rest of the day. 

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Rick was determined to head out with a group to look for Allison and Daryl the minute the weather allowed. They were only supposed to be gone until that evening. When they weren’t back by the next day and when it started to snow, Rick became worried. He asked for volunteers to double up on watch to keep an eye out for any sign of them. He couldn’t take a chance on taking a crew out in this weather. Daryl was more than able to take care of him and Allison. As much as he hated it, he was just going to have to wait.

They were gone for a full week when the gate patrols heard the sound of what sounded like a motorcycle approaching. It was Daryl and Allison on an ATV. Daryl found it in the barn at the farmhouse and liberated it so they wouldn’t have to walk all the way back to Alexandria. As soon as the weather cleared enough, they packed up what they could and started trying to figure out their way back. It turned out that the farmhouse wasn’t as far away from Alexandria as they thought it was. They would definitely be going back to take as much from there as they could bring back. 

Rick came running as soon as he heard people yelling and the sound of the engine rolling through the gates. His chest sank as breath left his lungs. He was beginning to think that Daryl and Allison were just gone. “Thank God you’re back.” Rick hugged them both, feeling like a weight had been lifted. “How is everyone? Is everybody ok?” Allison immediately asked. Rick nodded, “Yeah. Everyone is fine. There’s a few that still have the flu, but they’re on the mend. What happened to you two.” Daryl explained about the herd and the farmhouse. “There’s a bunch more stuff there. We should head out and get the rest of it. Of course, we could try to secure it and use it as a secondary base or somethin’.” “I’m just glad you’re both home and safe. Go get some rest and we’ll figure everything out later. You guys look dead on your feet.” They weren’t back to a hundred percent from the flu and it apparently showed. 

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According to their best calculations from a mostly reliably kept calendar, it was January. Winter was hitting harder than it had the previous year. No one was going out on runs, it was just too cold. Allison never seemed to completely get over the flu. She was always tired and sleeping as often as she could. Daryl had been on her to go see Siddiq and she finally agreed that she would see him. “I’ll see you when you get back from watch,” she yawned. Daryl studied her haggard face. “Promise me you’ll go see Siddiq while I’m gone.” She gave him a smile and promised. “Give me a kiss before you go.” “Of course, sweetheart. Can’t leave without some lovin’.” She walked him to the door and zipped his coat and pulled his warm winter hat down over his ears. “Stay warm, baby.”  
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“How long did you say you’ve been feeling like this?” Siddiq asked as he examined her. “Since the flu outbreak. I feel like I never got over it.” “I hate to pry, but when was your last period?” Allison had been too tired to even pay it any mind. She thought back to when she had her last one. “It was when Daryl and I got the flu.” Siddiq sat up straighter and looked at her. “Uh-huh. Was it like your normal cycle?” No. No, it wasn’t. She spotted for a day or two and that was it. She thought that it was because of the flu or something. He watched as the realization sank in. “I think we should do an ultrasound.”

She tried not to think about it until Daryl was back home. She decided that she would make him a special dinner and try to come up with some kind of dessert. According to the measurements on the ultrasound, Daryl’s super sperm got her pregnant when they went at it sans condom. She was having a hard time wrapping her head around it. She had been so sure that she had gotten her period and that she wasn’t pregnant, but all it was just implantation bleeding. Very common and she should have known that the spotting was not her normal period.

Daryl was frozen when he came home. He was anxious to hear what Siddiq told Allison. He wanted her to be ok. “Hi, baby! I’m home!” He called from the door. He stripped off his winter gear and hung it by the door. “In here,” she called from the kitchen. “I made you some hot chocolate to help warm you up.” “Did you see Siddiq?” He got right to it. He was worried and he needed to know what was going on with her. She handed him the mug and nodded. “Well,” he asked, growing impatient. “Sit down.” She pulled a chair around to face him. “You’re kinda scarin’ me, Al.” She blew out a breath and bit the bullet. “You remember when we got carried away in the living room and we didn’t use protection?” “Yeah.” “And I thought I got my period at the farmhouse?” “What do ya mean you thought? Isn’t that the kind of thing that you either have or you don’t?” “Normally, it is. I had a little bit of spotting, but it turns out that it was something called implantation bleeding.” Daryl wasn’t sure what she was trying to tell him. She handed him a black and white photo. He sat silently, staring at the photograph. It looked like a baby. A real, honest-to-goodness baby. 

“Say something,” Allison whispered. “You really are?” “I really am.” His expression was soft and he had so much love in his eyes. “This is really real?” “Yes, baby. It’s really real. We’re gonna have a baby. How does that make you feel?” He slid out of his chair and knelt before her. “I love you, Allison. I love you so damn much.” Daryl hugged her around her middle and kissed her belly. “I love you, too, baby.” 

After dinner, Daryl insisted that Allison go rest on the couch and let him take care of the dishes. “Ain’t gonna have my pregnant girl doin’ everything around the house.” “Daryl,” Allison began, “I’m pregnant, not sick.” “Yeah, I know, but you’ve been tired as hell and now we know why. I want you off your feet and resting like you’re supposed to. I know you won’t break, but ya gotta let me take care of you and the little one.” Allison understood that he only wanted what was best for her and the baby and knew that he felt the need to protect them. “You could start makin’ lists of all the shit we’re gonna need. As soon as we can start going out on runs I’ll start getting it.” “That’s a good idea. I’m gonna grab a notebook and get started while you clean up. Meet me on the couch when you’re finished?” His happy expression warmed her heart. “Be there as fast as I can.” 

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“I made ya some oatmeal with maple syrup, pecans, and some of them peaches from the freezer.” Daryl put the bowl on the table and sat down on the bed. “Brought you some green tea, too.” Allison sat up, smiling. Daryl was already pampering her and he only learned about the pregnancy twelve hours ago. “You stay in bed and rest. I’ve gotta go see Rick for a bit. Eat all of that. You and the little one need it.” “Thank you, babe. You’re gonna be an amazing daddy.” Her words struck his heart in a way that he wasn’t prepared for. “I never thought I’d be one. Never thought I wanted to be one til you came along. I love you so much, sweetheart.” He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip and kissed her smile. “I love you, D.”

Rick invited Daryl inside and offered him some coffee. “Yeah. That’d be good.” “What brings you by this morning?” Rick asked, handing Daryl a mug of steaming coffee. “I need to talk to ya about somethin’ important.” Rick gave him a nod, letting him know that he was listening. “I need some advice on how to be a dad.” Rick’s eyes softened and even sparkled with happy tears. “You and Allison are gonna have a baby?” “She found out yesterday," Daryl nodded. "It wasn’t exactly planned or nothin’, but it’s a good thing.” Rick slapped his hand on Daryl’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Congratulations, Brother. You and Allison are gonna be fine. You’ve been takin’ care of Judith since she was born, and you were damn good with Carl.” He grew somber thinking about his son. “I’ll always be grateful to you for everything you’ve done for my kids. I hope you know that I’ll be here, we’ll be here for your baby.” 

“You look like you have a thousand questions. What’s on your mind?” Daryl laid all his cards on the table. He explained his fears of fatherhood and asked what he needed to do to take care of Allison. “And, I mean, how do we know that everything will be ok? I’m so scared of losin’ her. What if somethin’ happens when she’s givin’ birth?” Rick’s expression showed how much he understood what Daryl was feeling. “I had all of those same fears. Don’t think about how things went with Lori. I think I knew it would turn out that way. Lookin’ back, I think it’s why I pulled away from her so much. We have a doctor here who is going to make sure that Allison and your baby are in good health. We’ll go on runs and get everything we need for him to bring your baby into the world, and they are going to be fine. As far as taking care of Allison, just spoil her. Rub her feet at the end of the day, make sure she’s eating, let her rest as much as she can. Make sure you tell her how beautiful you think she is, especially when she gets big and round. Mostly, just let her know how much you love her. You’ll do fine, Daryl. You and her are gonna be just fine. Just relax and try not to worry too much.” “Thanks, Rick. I appreciate ya talkin’ to me. I’m gonna head back and talk to my girl.” Rick walked him to the door and Daryl paused for a second. “Can you keep this between us? I wanna wait for Allison to decide when she’s ready to start tellin’ people.” Rick patted Daryl on the back. “I’d say that you’re already doing a hell of a job of taking care of her and keeping her happy. Just keep doing it. I’m always here if you need to talk.” “Thanks, man.”

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Allison was working on a list of baby items they were going to need when Daryl came back. “Hi, babe. Come sit with me.” He sat down and nuzzled his cold nose against her neck. “Oh my God, you’re freezing!” “It’s cold out there. Looks like it might snow.” She laid her notebook aside and rubbed his fingers between her hands to warm them up. “Could be nice to be snowed in with you for a couple of days. Is everything ok? You didn’t say why you were going to see Rick.” “It’s all good. I went to see Rick because I had some questions, you know, just guy stuff.” She grinned, thrilled at how he was embracing their little surprise. “I see. Do you have questions for me?” “Actually, I do. How far along are ya? Shoulda asked that already, but I guess I didn’t think of it.” She continued rubbing his fingers and leaned against him. “We’re twelve weeks. So, we have about another twenty-eight weeks to get ready. Siddiq estimated the due date to be around mid-July.” He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her. “Guess we better get started planning for the little nugget. Maybe we can start talking about names since we can’t go out and get stuff.” He flipped around and laid his head on her lap. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “You’re adorable. So, you’re really excited about this?” “Hell yeah, I am. We’re havin’ us a baby.”


	17. Chapter 17

“When can we start telling people?” Allison raked her fingers through Daryl’s hair. The fire was warm and it was snowing out. “When did you want to?” Allison countered. He tilted his head back and had a lopsided grin. The little grin that Allison loved so much. “I want everyone to know. I can’t wait to tell ‘em.” “Well,” Allison said as she wiggled herself over the top of him. “Maybe we can start telling people tomorrow.” She caught his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled it. “Mmmm… You got somethin’ else in mind for now?” She nodded with an impish smile. “Let’s go upstairs and celebrate, just the two of us.” 

They kissed and it was all tongue and teeth and lips as the stumbled backward through their bedroom door. “Sure it’s ok to be doin’ this?” “Mmm-hmm,” she purred as she unbuckled his belt and pulled it through the loops. “It’s perfectly safe. Now, shut up and take my clothes off.” His look was smoldering as his tongue skimmed across his bottom lip. “Bossy, ain’t ya?” “Sure am. You like it.” He dipped in to kiss her but pulled away before she met his mouth. “Tease.” “You like it,” he said with a raised eyebrow. He pulled her shirt off and tossed it behind him. She yanked him to her by the waist of his jeans and popped the button. She pushed his pants and underwear down as she went to her knees. “You’re mine, Daryl. All mine.” She stroked his length a few times, running the tip of her tongue around the tip. Daryl hissed in a breath, the dual sensations driving him wild. He wound his fingers in her hair, gathering it all out of the way. “I’m gonna suck you so good. Be a good boy and stay on your feet.” 

Allison teased the base of his shaft with her tongue before pulling hard as her mouth glided back to the tip. She was a dirty little thing as far as her oral skills went. She always seemed to do a little something that surprised him every time she went down on him. The time that she flicked her tongue on his frenulum with snake-like precision had alone almost been enough to make him cum within seconds. She enjoyed playing with and sucking his balls almost as much as he liked her doing it. Best of all, she loved the sounds she was able to pull from him and she was always eager to have him in her mouth. 

Currently, she was taking him down her throat and massaging his balls, and, dear Jesus, was it ever good. With her free hand, she nudged his leg so he would widen his stance. He didn’t know why and he didn’t care. Allison had complete control of him and he would follow her straight to hell if that’s what she asked. He eased his legs apart and she showed him a whole new level of 'holy fuck that feels good'. While still massaging his balls in her hand, she straightened her first two fingers and started rubbing the area behind his sack. It was a little weird at first, and Daryl had no idea what her intentions were with those fingers, but she hummed around him and soon he relaxed and went with it. She applied more and more pressure with every stroke until a strangled cry caught in his throat. “Jesus… I don’t know what you’re doin’, but don’t fuckin’ stop.” He could feel her smile grow around his dick. She sucked harder and kept a steady pace going until he came down her throat. 

He let himself fall back on the bed and Allison was chasing right after him. “I want you hard again. I wanna fuck you, baby.” He didn’t know much about hormones and such, but he was hoping it would be this way for the rest of her pregnancy. She hadn’t been shy around him when it came to matters of the bedroom, but he realized that the past few times they’d had sex, Allison had been more aggressive. 

She tilted his head back and used her teeth on the spots that caused him to let out sounds of euphoric fervor. He dragged his nails down her back as she continued biting and sucking down his neck and across his trapezius. He was completely given to her whims. He was hers in every way. She rubbed her wet slit up and down his length, and he was already growing hard again. He wouldn’t have thought it possible to happen so soon, but she was working some kind of magic on him and he wasn’t complaining one bit. “That’s it, baby,” she coaxed. “I want you so much.” He rubbed his hands over her ribs and down to her hips, clutching her ass. “Get it, baby girl. 

She rose up on her knees and Daryl lined himself up. A low, guttural moan came from him as she took in his length. “Fuck. Allison, you’re so tight.” She fell forward, planting her hands below his collar bones and started riding him nice and slow. “Yeah, baby. Feels so good,” he sighed. His hands pulled at her hips, urging her to move faster. “C’mon, sweetheart. Ride me good.” She sat all the way up and Daryl didn’t waste a second of getting his hands on her breasts. He rolled her nipples between her thumbs and fingers. Maybe it was the knowledge that she was pregnant, but they were incredibly sensitive and she cried out, her head falling back. “Keep doing that. It’s so good.” He pushed himself up, back against the headboard. “I can do so much better than that.” He tilted his head and drew her nipple into his mouth, gently pulling and licking it. Allison moaned, grinding herself down on his cock. “I want it hard, Daryl. Please, baby.” He gripped the back of her neck and pulled her roughly into him, kissing and biting all the way along the line of her neck up to her ear. “Turn around,” he whispered. 

He slid his hand up the length of her spine and pushed her head down onto the bed. “So fuckin’ beautiful with that ass up, pussy wet and ready for me.” She growled into the mattress and he slammed into her at the sound of it. “Oh God, Daryl, yes! Yes, baby! Just like that!” His fingertips squeezed into her hips almost painfully, but it didn’t matter. “Yeah, baby? You like it a little rough?” She moved against him, moaning and pleading for more. “I’m gonna give it to ya, honey.” In no time the room was filled with the sounds of the mattress squeaking, the headboard banging against the wall, their flesh slapping, and the filthy way Allison wailed for him. He put his fingers in a V on either side of her clit and squeezed it. The way he was stroking into her and the exquisite pressure on the little bundle of nerves had her arching her back into him, screaming his name in no time. “That’s it, baby… Squeeze my cock. Squeeze it hard, baby.” She was too much for him. She always was. He always thought he would make it last a little longer, but then her pussy would squeeze the life right out of him.

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“You wanna do something tomorrow to let everyone know?” Allison asked sleepily in his arms. They spent the rest of the day lounging in bed, discussing the baby. It was nice that it was snowing and they could just let things go without too much worry. There weren’t a whole lot of days like that in these times, so they were taking full advantage of it. Daryl kissed the back of her neck and trailed his fingertips gently over the outline of her side. “I don’t know. Maybe we could have everyone bring food and we could make it a big dinner and make an announcement.” “Mmmm… You wanna do that?” Allison chuckled, shaking her head. “Not really. I want it to keep snowing so we can spend another day like this.” “Me too. Maybe we could just tell people as we see ‘em.” She turned onto her back and Daryl laid his hand on her belly. He only just noticed that it wasn’t as flat as it always was. How had they not noticed that before now? Something told him to maybe not mention it. It seemed like that should be something she should mention to him first. 

“What should we name our baby?” he asked. “Already thinking about names, huh?” Daryl nodded. “I am. It’s a big decision. I mean, the kid’s gotta carry it with ‘em for the rest of their life.” “Fair point. What kind of names did you have in mind?” He shrugged. “I dunno. I like nature. Maybe we can come up with something we like from that.” She turned her head and kissed the little mole above his lip. “Daryl Dixon, you are so damn cute! I love that idea. Did you have any particular names that you like?” “I want a strong name. Boy or girl, they should have a strong name. We’re gonna raise us a badass.” 

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“That went well,” Allison said as she kicked off her shoes. A few days after finding out they were going to be parents, they had everyone come over so they could make an official announcement. Now that everyone was gone home, she was tired and ready to curl up on the couch with her man. “It did,” he agreed. His shoulder ached from being clapped and squeezed so much, but he was happy. Everyone was thrilled for them, especially since Allison was doing well. Daryl poked the logs in the fireplace and added a few more. Seeing everyone off let a lot of the warmth escape and he was cold. “You feelin’ ok?” “Yeah, babe. Maybe a little tired, but I’m fine.” He watched her stretch out on the couch and thought she looked a bit uncomfortable in her dressy clothes she was still wearing. “I’ll be right back. Wanna snuggle with ya when I get back.” Allison cracked up despite trying to hold it back. Daryl gave her his signature scowl. “The hell’s so funny?” “The very idea that Daryl Dixon likes to snuggle. If you’d have told me that way back when I would never have believed it.” “Yeah, well don’t go tellin’ people. I’ll deny it to the end.” She tossed a throw pillow at him as he turned to head upstairs.

Daryl brought her a change of clothes and made her a plate of food. She looked at him curiously. “Ya didn’t eat enough while everyone was here. You’re growin’ a baby and ya need more nutrition.” She took his face between her hands and kissed him. “Thank you, honey. You’re too much.” “Nah,” he shook his head. “Never too much for my girls.” “You’re girls?! You know something I don’t?” she laughed. “Just a feelin’. I don’t care either way, but we’re gettin’ a girl. Mark my words.” He sat back with the smuggest look on his face. “Should we wager on it?” “We can,” he chewed on a bite of the cherry crumble that Allison really wanted. “But, I’mma win.” Allison thought on it for a second. “How about a foot rub?” He rolled his head over to her, giving her a are you serious look. “You really wanna rub my feet?” “Yeah… Guess I didn’t think that through. You got any ideas?” “Yup. If it’s a girl, I name her. If it’s a boy, you name him.” “Oh, you are so on! We need to have some ground rules, though. Like, we can’t name the kid something we know that the other would absolutely hate. We decided that we like nature names, so I think we should stick to that as our theme.” Daryl agreed. “Sounds like we got ourselves a bet.”


	18. Chapter 18

March came in with sunny skies and warmer temperatures. Allison’s belly was growing a little more every day, and Daryl was enamored. He rubbed her bump as often as he could get his hands on her. She was making breakfast when he came in from getting things ready. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and nestled his head into the crook of her neck. “Good morning, love. You got everything together?” “Mmm-hmm,” he purred, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Gonna head out soon.” He and a crew were going to head out to see if they could find baby items as well as some seed packets and other things that the community needed. “I packed you some extra food and stuff.” She sounded sad and he hated it. “Hey,” he kissed the side of her neck and turned her around. “I’ll be back before ya know it.” Allison tried hard not to let her emotions get ahead of her, but she was already missing him. They hadn’t been apart since finding out that she was pregnant.

“Awe, honey, c’mere.” Daryl held her tighter. He didn’t want to leave her either. He loathed the idea that something could happen and he would never see Allison again or ever get to meet his baby. That was the reality that they lived with every day. He promised her, as much as he was able, that he would be coming home. “I love you, sweetheart. You and the little one need me, so I’ll be back. Try to think of all the baby stuff I’m gonna be bringin’ back for us.” He rubbed the pad of his thumb across her dimple. “Be sure you bring back stuff for a baby boy since you know I’m gonna win that bet.” Daryl snorted and laid his forehead against hers, his fingers in her thick hair. “Nah. I’m bringin’ back a whole bunch of pink shit for Blossom.” “You’re such an ass!” she laughed. “We are NOT naming our baby, Blossom.” 

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Two days went by and there was still no one from the group to be seen back home. Allison knew that she was being irrational. She knew that any number of things could have happened that caused them to be delayed, but she was out of her mind with worry. She stopped by the infirmary to see if there was anything that needed to be done, but all was quiet, so she headed back to her and Daryl’s house. She changed into some grungy clothes that wouldn’t be a loss if they were trashed. She grabbed the garden tools from the garage and headed into the backyard to work on her vegetable garden. It was getting to be time to prep all the gardens for planting anyway, plus, she could physically exert herself to keep her mind occupied. 

She worked in the yard until near dark. As soon as she came in she heard someone knocking at the front door. “Hey, Allison”, Aaron greeted. “Eric and I wanted to see if you would join us for dinner, but I can see that you need more than dinner, maybe.” She adored Aaron and Eric and there was no holding back her hormonal emotions. Aaron hugged her and told her that he and Eric were going to spoil her. “I’m going to get you some clothes and we’re going to give you a pseudo-spa treatment and feed you. You can stay at our place tonight if you want.” Just as he started to walk towards the stairs, Allison sobbed, “I miss Daryl!” Aaron came back to where she stood, weeping, and wrapped his arms around her. “I know you do, sweetie. He’s going to be home very soon, I’m sure.”

She was slightly more composed when Aaron walked her through his front door. Eric rushed over and took her hands. “We’re going to give her a spa treatment and take care of her tonight,” Aaron told his lover. “Of course, honey. Come with me and let’s get you into a hot bath with some of my homemade bath oil. How’s that sound?” She’d worked harder than she probably should have and her muscles ached, so a hot soak sounded heavenly. She sniffled and agreed to his plan. 

Eric came out of the bathroom a long time later and Aaron was worriedly waiting to hear how she was doing. Eric held out his hands and nodded. “She’s resting with a warm cloth over her eyes. And don’t worry, I asked her about the baby and everything is fine.” Aaron let out a relieved sigh and kissed his man. “Thank you, honey. She sounded so pitiful. She really needs us tonight.” “She has us. We’re going to take care of her and that baby until Daryl comes home.” 

After her bath, Allison was taken to the couch and given a plate of food and Eric pulled her feet into his lap. “Relax, angel. I owned a spa before the turn. I did this for a living. You and the baby need to be spoiled silly, so just eat your dinner and let me do my thing.” For the first time since Daryl left, Allison laughed. “I love you guys so much. Thank you for this. I needed it.”

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Daryl and Abraham fought their way out of the store, leading the way so the rest of the group could follow. One of the jackasses was grabbed by a straggling walker and panicked. He grabbed his pistol and fired a shot through the creature’s brain. The sound of gunfire alerted a shit ton more than they had already had to deal with. Now, they were trying to double-back and get to their loaded trucks and get back home. 

“I’m gonna beat his ass into the ground when we get home,” Daryl vowed to Abraham as they both sunk their knives into the heads of approaching walkers. “I’ll help. Dumb sumbitch cost me rack-time with Rosita.” Daryl snorted and kept killing walkers. He liked Abe a lot. His military experience made him invaluable to the group. It helped that he was just a hell of a likable guy who had an even better sense of humor. An added bonus was that he was able to keep Eugene sort of normal. “Deal,” Daryl grunted. “How’s that gonna go down? We takin’ turns or what?” Abe busted up laughing. “Let’s just play it by ear.” They were finally getting to the final few layers of walkers. Daryl and Abe were taking out the majority of them, letting the remaining group members take up what got past them.

They were sore, exhausted, and covered with gore when they made it back to the trucks. The sun was just coming up on their third day away from Alexandria. Daryl knew that Allison would be out of her mind with worry. Lately, she was much more hormonal. She took teasing personally, her temper had a hair-trigger at times, and dear God, it seemed like she could cry at the drop of a hat. They were watching a movie they’d watched many times, and she bawled through the whole thing. Daryl suggested that they turn it off and put on something else, but that led to her accusing him of just not wanting to deal with her crying. Daryl had days where he felt so completely lost as to how to keep her happy. Their relationship was solid, but her emotions were all over the place. Thanks to many talks with Rick he was able to figure something out, most of the time. He just hoped that she would be happy to see him when he got home and not pissed that he was gone for such a long time. 

Daryl was tired and distracted as he approached the driver’s door of the truck. He didn’t see or hear the random walker until its gnarly hand gripped his vest. He was at a bad angle and couldn’t get turned the right way to put it down. The guys in the truck heard him thumping against the side, but by the time they got to him, it was all over. Daryl was on the ground and a dog was licking his face all over. The men rushed to him to see if he was ok. “Y’alright, man? You bit?” One of them helped him up and pulled Daryl’s knife out of the dead thing’s skull. “I’m alright. Damn dog came outta nowhere and saved my ass.” 

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Aaron and Eric spoiled Allison like crazy. They were so excited to have her in their home and allowing them to talk with her about her pregnancy. They both desperately wanted a family, but there were no adoption agencies or surrogates they could turn to. 

Allison was going into her nineteenth week and was just beginning to feel some little flutters of the baby moving. Aaron and Eric spied on her in wonder as she held her hands to her belly and smiled radiantly. “Think she feels the baby moving?” Aaron squeezed his lover’s hand. “I don’t know, but she looks really good this morning, doesn’t she?” Eric kissed Aaron’s bearded jaw. “We did a good job, didn’t we?” Aaron was inspired. “How about we give her some real pampering today? You could have the things you need to give her a facial, right? Eric nodded, liking where this was going. “I’m going to go to Olivia’s and see if I can find her some maternity clothes. Hopefully, there’ll be something pretty for her. Let’s make her feel good.” 

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Allison was treated to the nines. Aaron and Eric did everything they knew how to do to make her feel pretty and pampered. Aaron found her a few maternity things, but nothing that was particularly pretty. He’d hoped to find her a dress but only came up with some leggings, a pair of jeans, and some shirts. She was tickled with the things he brought her. After her facial treatment and her hair was done, she put on the jeans and one of her new shirts and she looked adorable. The shirt was snug, really showing off her bump. Aaron and Eric were relieved that they had been able to keep her distracted and her worries at bay. 

The group arrived in time for dinner. Allison was still with Aaron and Eric at their insistence. They loved to entertain and she was a joy to have around. They were eating when they heard the ruckus outside. “They’re back!” Allison shrieked as she bolted from the table. She took off down the street towards the gate to see her man. 

Daryl saw Allison running to him, holding her belly as she came. “Oh my God, you’re home!” She threw herself into his arms, kissing his face all over. “I was so worried. Are you ok? What happened?” Daryl enveloped her in his arms. She felt like heaven to him. Her soft skin, her kisses, and her scent were home. She was everything that made his life worth living. She and the baby were his purpose in life. “Everything’s fine. ‘M fine. I brought somethin’ home. He saved my ass and I couldn’t just leave ‘im behind.” Daryl whistled and the large dog came bounding around the truck. She was in awe that he was already so bonded to Daryl. Allison held out her hand for the dog to sniff and started petting him after he licked her hand. “He’s a handsome boy.” “That mean we can keep him?” Daryl asked, nervously. “Jesus! Of course, we’re keeping him! You said he saved you. He’s ours now.”

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“Daryl! Wake up!” Allison shook him and scared the hell out of him. “What? What’s wrong?” He sat up, dazed and confused and trying to figure out what was happening. She grabbed his hand and placed it on the side of her belly that was closest to him. “Feel!” Daryl was still feeling very jarred and disoriented until he felt something beneath his hand. “Did you feel that?” Allison asked, excitedly. “Yeah. What was it?” Daryl was too addled to realize on his own. “That was our baby, Daryl. Our baby is moving and we can feel it now!” He was fully awake and both of his hands were on Allison’s belly. “Hi there, sweet baby. I’m your daddy.” Allison put her hand to her mouth and blinked away tears. He was going to be an amazing father. She couldn’t wait to see him with their baby in his arms. Neither of them had thought that they were ready to have a baby, but every day that they grew nearer to the baby’s arrival, they were more in love and more anxious for this new adventure.


	19. Chapter 19

Dog settled right in and was very protective of Allison. He seemed to sense that she was carrying a baby and would often climb onto the couch and rest his snout on her belly. Daryl was happy to see that he was a good guard dog and that Allison loved him. Of course, she begged Daryl to give the pup a real name, but Daryl insisted that he responded to Dog right away, therefore naming himself. “Please tell me that you aren’t planning on naming our baby kid or girl or something like that,” she teased. “When I win the bet I might just do that.” “You’re a neanderthal.” Daryl watched her as she laughed. She was stretched out on the couch with her head on his lap and Dog was lying against her legs. He turned his head and laid his snout on her belly, whining when she kept laughing. “You just remember, if this,” she swirled her finger in a circle over her bump, “is a boy, I get to name him.” “Yeah, yeah. Have you been thinkin’ on names?” “Mmm-hmm. I like Forrest.” “Nope. I ain’t havin’ Forrest Gump. You know that’s all we’d ever think of.” She snickered and told him she was teasing. “I can’t do Forrest. I really do like Thorne, Storm, and Hawk.” Daryl rolled his eyes. “It’s a good thing we’re havin’ a girl.”

Over the past few weeks, Daryl and Allison worked on getting the nursery put together. Daryl found a beautiful crib and a changing table. Rick found them a bassinet and bouncer that he explained to Daryl they would need. They found a baby store that, amazingly hadn’t been hit. They loaded both trucks with everything they could pack. Of course, not all of that stuff was for Daryl and Allison. There would be more babies in the future, and they needed to be prepared. One of the things that Allison was most excited about was the many cases of diapers and wipes they brought back. They brought back tons of cloth diapers as well, but the convenience of disposable would be a lifesaver. 

Allison sorted through baby clothes for days. She wanted to make sure that she had a little for a boy or a girl. The rest would go to the community clothes closet until they knew what they needed. Daryl loved watching her smile as she looked at all of the tiny outfits and sleepers. He sat beside her on the floor of the nursery while she continued sorting. “I brought back a bunch of books for us. I know we’re already half-way there, but I thought it might not be a bad idea to bring ‘em so we could learn as much as we can before the baby gets here.” “Oh, honey. You’re amazing. You thought of everything.” Despite hearing her tell him that he was a good man, or that he was incredible, or any other compliment, Daryl still always blushed. “I’m just tryin’ to be a good dad. I don’t wanna fuck it up, ya know?” Allison awkwardly turned herself to face him. “Baby, there’s no way you’re gonna fuck anything up. You’re trying and that’s all that you can do. You already love our baby so much. You talk to him every night and you have spoiled me the whole time. I’d say that this baby has the best daddy in the world.” 

Allison came out of the shower to find Daryl lying in bed reading one of the baby books. “Says here that the baby is about the size of a spaghetti squash. She even has hair now.” Allison pulled on one of his t-shirts and stumbled around trying to put her underwear on. “I just love how confident you are that we’re having a girl. We could talk to Siddiq tomorrow and see if he can tell us for sure if you want.” He watched her scoot into bed next to him. “You wanna find out? I kinda wanted to wait til she’s here.” “I don’t want to know either,” she confessed. I like the idea of a surprise. We’ll just tell him we don’t want to know so he can make sure we don’t look while he does that part of the ultrasound.” She snuggled close and asked what else he’d read. “Well, it says that you might be havin’ problems with constipation and hemorrhoids.” “Dammit, Daryl! Stop!” “Well, the book says it normal,” he defended himself, laughing at how red Allison’s cheeks were. “Stop reading!” She grabbed for his book, but he pulled it away. “No! I wanna know everything that’s going on with ya.” She covered her face with the sheet, sliding further down the bed. “And, suddenly I want a giant hole to open up and swallow me.” “I also read that you might start havin’ Braxton Hicks contractions and your belly button is about to pop out.” “Uuuuuuggggghhhhh… Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, huh?” He pulled the sheet away from her face and smiled down at her. “Maybe all of it ain’t pretty, but you sure are. I love seein’ you carrying our baby.”

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“Ok, guys,” Siddiq said as he moved the ultrasound wand over Allison’s belly. “You can look now. I saw everything I needed to see and everything concerning the sex of the baby is perfectly healthy. Let’s get a look at the rest of your baby.” Daryl held Allison’s hand and watched in wonder as their baby filled the screen. The baby was moving all around and kicking. “Look at our precious baby,” Allison whispered. “Daryl! We made that!” He turned his head to the side and rubbed away the tears that were beginning to fill his eyes. “We sure did, sweetheart. Everything looks good?” Daryl asked Siddiq. “The baby looks great, the fluid level is good, Allison’s blood pressure is perfect, so, yeah, everything is right on track. Keep doing what you’re doing, guys. Now that it’s warmer, you probably should start walking. It will help a lot when it comes time to deliver. Do some yoga and any exercises that you’re comfortable with. And, you need to drink lots of water.” “I’ll make sure that she does,” Daryl stated. 

They walked all around the community after seeing Siddiq. Daryl was determined to make sure that Allison did everything that she had been instructed to do. Carol waved and asked them to join her on her porch. “Hi guys!” she greeted cheerily. “How are things with the little peanut?” Allison smiled as she rubbed her belly. “Perfect. We just saw Siddiq and we got to see the baby. We’re getting in our steps per the doctor’s orders.” “I wanted to talk to you both about me helping you when it’s time for the baby. I found some books on doulas and have been reading up on how to help you through your labor. I would be there to help you both. Would you two be interested in something like that?” Allison looked to Daryl to see if she could gauge his feelings. “What do ya think, babe?” Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “Not a bad idea. Neither of us has done this before. Might be good to have somebody there to help us out.” Allison hugged Carol and thanked her. “You’re hired! You wouldn’t happen to have any books on Lamaze or natural childbirth would you?” Carol shook her head. “Sorry, no. I think there are some in the library, though. You and Daryl definitely need to start reading up on it. There’s a lot to learn and start practicing. Daryl, did you guys bring back any books or DVDs from that baby store?” “Yeah. We brought back a bunch of boxes of books and stuff. We’ll go look, see what all there is.” They started to head to the community library, but Daryl jogged back up the stairs and hugged Carol. “Thank you, ya know, for being there for us.” “Daryl, I’m honored. I can’t wait to meet your baby.”

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Allison had seen videos of childbirth when she was in paramedic school and in her high school health class. At the time, it was purely clinical. Now that she had a human growing in her that would soon be coming out of her, it was horrifying. Daryl had never seen a video of a woman giving birth. He was less than prepared for what they had just watched. 

After they talked with Carol, they went to find the books that Allison wanted on natural childbirth. Seeing that an epidural wasn’t an option, they needed to learn how to breathe and relax to make this as easy as possible. They found a few videos that went along with a few of the books and they thought that would be a good place to start. 

“I’m out,” Allison declared. “I can’t do that.” Daryl silently stared at her for a moment, not knowing what to say to make what they just saw any better. “I’m serious, Daryl. I-I… There’s no way I can do that.” He moved to the edge of the couch and reached for her hand. “It’s gonna be fine, sweetheart. We’re gonna do this together, just like we do everything else. There’s nothin’ we can’t do together, right?” Her expression was one of complete disbelief. “My vagina will never be the same, Daryl! You were literally here! You saw how it stretched so much it looked like it was going to burst!” She was shouting and pacing now. “Allison, honey, listen. We are going to have a doctor here, and Carol, Tara, and Enid. We’re all gonna take such good care of you. I’m gonna do everything I can to help ya do this. We know what we have to face, and now we’re gonna learn how to do it.” He stood in front of her, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “I promise, darlin’, it’ll be ok. It’ll all be worth it when our baby is in our arms.” He made her look at him. “You believe me, dontcha?” She barely nodded, but she trusted him. “Yeah, I guess.” He pressed himself against her, grabbing her butt with both hands. “Better believe me. Don’t wanna be on my bad side.” He tried to look mean and aggressive and Allison chuffed out a little laugh. “That’s my girl. You’re stronger than anybody I know. You’re gonna do just fine.” Allison wished that she truly believed that, but she was scared now. She couldn’t wait to meet their baby, but she had no idea how she was going to cope with all of that pain and all of that, um, stretching.


	20. Chapter 20

Daryl came home from his watch shift. He was soaked to the bone and gave Allison a quick hello as he made for the shower. “I’ll be back in a few minutes, sweetheart,” he called as he jogged up the stairs. Allison was kicked back on the couch with one of the books she found on natural delivery and a jar of pickles. Lately, she couldn’t get enough of the damn things. Daryl and Eugene even had words over the last jar of the dill kind. By rights, the jar was Eugene’s. He was there first and had it in his hands. When Daryl saw it, he explained that Allison was craving them and if he went home without them Allison would have his ass. 

“Can’t she just eat the sweet pickles?” Eugene asked, hugging the jar to his chest. Daryl shook his head. “She says the baby don’t like ‘em.” Eugene sighed. “But… I had ‘em first.” Daryl stared him into submission. “Listen, man, I’ll make sure that you get the first jar Carol makes. Just… Can I have the damn pickles for my pregnant girl? Please.” Eugene let out an aggravated huff and held out the jar. “Thanks.” “Yeah. Just don’t forget to get me that first jar.” Eugene stalked off towards the house he was sharing with Tara and Enid. 

Allison was munching on one of those very pickles and reading when Daryl came down from his shower. “Whatcha readin’?” He picked up her feet and put them on his lap. Rick had told him early on that she would likely appreciate foot rubs as often as he could do that for her. “Just some ways to relax through contractions and how to breathe and focus on something.” Daryl started to rub her feet and noticed that they were a little swollen, and so were her ankles. “D’ya know your ankles are swollen?” Allison looked up from her book and stared at Daryl unbelievingly. She was all of a sudden miffed. “I think ya might oughta ease up on them pickles.” She was steadily creeping up from miffed to angry. “Well, you explain to my body why I can’t have them. Do you have any idea how a craving feels?” Daryl looked at her from the side of his eyes. “Easy, sweetheart. No need to get mad. I’m just concerned ‘s all. Your ankles are so puffy you almost have cankles.” Allison slammed her book shut and threw her feet to the floor. Daryl was surprised by her reaction. She stormed into the kitchen and put the pickles in the refrigerator. 

Daryl watched from the relative safety of the couch as Allison struggled to put her shoes on. “Sweetheart? Where ya goin’?” Allison had shot well past angry and straight to pissed. Sure, she had a bit of a temper, but she was always able to keep it in check and not let it get the best of her. There was a first time for everything, and Daryl was about to find out. “I’m taking my fat feet and my cankles,” she did air quotes when she said cankles, “for a nice long walk so maybe they won’t be so disgusting.” She awkwardly managed to get her shoes tied and she started for the door. “Dog, wanna go for a walk?” The big dog pranced up to her side and sat, patiently waiting for her to go to the door. “Allison, honey, you’re overreacting. I didn’t mean it that way.” Overreacting was that single word that was currently bouncing all around her brain. She saw red. “Oh great! Now, not only do I have fat feet and cankles but now I’m irrational. Tell me, Daryl, is there anything else about me that completely repulses you right now? My belly button is sticking out like a goddamn popped turkey timer, my stomach has stretch marks even though I slather every kind of lotion and oil on it, and I have this weird line going down the center of my stomach. Oh! And I have no fucking idea what’s happening with my hair, but I hate it. So, tell me, what else is grossing you out right now?” 

Daryl slowly started to approach her but she held up her hand. “Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make ya feel bad. I’m just worried.” Allison and Dog started toward the door. “Allison, honey, it’s pouring. Stay here and let’s talk about this.” “Fine! I’ll walk in the rain. Maybe I smell bad and I’m too busy overreacting to notice.” Daryl was quickly running out of patience. He only mentioned her feet out of concern. Ok, so he royally fucked up by telling her that she has cankles. It was thoughtless and he acknowledged it. If she would just chill for a minute, he would apologize and say all the sweet words he knew to make it better. “Would ya just stop and listen?” She heard the bite in his tone and that was all it took to push her the rest of the way into an unreasonable rage. HE was pissed! Seriously! What the hell did he have to be mad about? “Fuck off, Daryl! I’m going for a walk!” With that, she and dog headed out into the rain.

Daryl paced the length of the porch, smoking. He had quit since Allison couldn’t smoke now, but he was pissed and confused and he needed a distraction. He considered going after her, but he decided that he didn’t want everyone to hear them arguing over, well, he had no idea what they were arguing about. The longer he waited, the angrier he was. He needed to talk about this and figure it all out. He didn’t like fighting with her, not that they did it often, but this time was the first time she’d really yelled at him and the only time she’d ever told him to fuck off. They didn’t talk to each other that way. They always talked before things got this heated, so none of this sat well with him. 

Allison walked until she grew tired of people poking their heads out of their doors and asking her if she wanted to come in. No, she did not want to come in and visit. She wanted to be mad and walk in the rain. Couldn’t people just leave her to stew in her hormonal rage? She spotted Daryl standing on the porch at the top of the steps, waiting. Fine. She bypassed the front porch and headed around back. She’d just go in the back door and go take a shower. Probably she would have to wash Dog first since his fur was thoroughly wet. She made it to the backyard and Daryl was coming toward her. “I’m not doing this now, Daryl.” He grabbed her upper arm, more roughly than he’d intended. “The hell we’re not,” he growled. He pulled her over to the side of the patio and pushed her against the house. “I think every part of you is beautiful.” He crashed his lips against hers and she fought against him. “I’m pissed at you!” she snapped. “Yeah, I’m pretty pissed at you, too.” She tried to push him away, and if Daryl had thought for a second that she really wanted him off of her he would have stopped immediately. “There’s not a single part of you that I don’t love or think is more gorgeous every fuckin day. Accept it.” She tried to turn her head away from him, but he grabbed her cheeks and pulled it back. “Ya really think if I didn’t that I’d be this fuckin hard?” He shoved her hand to his crotch and held it on his raging hard-on. “You’re a man. You’d put it in anything warm and wet,” she snarked. Daryl grabbed a handful of her dripping hair and pulled her head back, hard. Allison shrieked with pain and with a growing desire. “Shut up. You know better than that, dammit. Ya really think I’d fuck ya out here where everyone can watch if I didn’t love you and want to touch every part of you?” She narrowed her eyes at him, still seething about her cankles. “You’re not fucking me out here, Daryl.” “Wanna bet?” he growled in her ear.

Daryl held her hair and yanked her pants and underwear down past her knees. “Kick ‘em off.” As much as she was able with her head being pulled back, she looked at him. “No.” Daryl used his foot to push her pants down to her ankles and then smacked her ass. “Ain’t askin’, sweetheart. Kick ‘em off. Do as I say.” She stood firm for a moment and Daryl smacked her ass once more. “Do it now, Allison.” She toed off her shoes and stomped her way out of her wet pants. “Happy?” she snarked. “Not yet,” Daryl said, beginning to lick a bead of water that was rolling down her neck. “Ain’t never wanted somebody as much as I want you. I want you all the goddamn time, Allison.” He sank his teeth into her neck right above her shoulder and she cried out. “Don’t know what’s wrong with you tonight, but I’mma fuck it right out of ya. Hear me?” She moaned, but she wasn’t done being a brat. “If you say so.” He kicked her feet apart and pushed two fingers inside of her. “Sure are wet for being so pissed. Must not be as mad as ya thought, huh?” “Mmmm… You’re an asshole.” “Ya knew it when ya got with me, so that’s on you, darlin’.” He shoved up the front of her shirt and her bra and started tracing her nipples with his tongue. “Tell me ya don’t like it,” he demanded. “You know I do.” She was breathless and wanting more. Daryl continued working magic with his fingers as he shoved his pants down. 

He grabbed her under her ass and lifted her up. Allison wrapped her legs around him. Allison’s belly was bigger since the last time they’d done this. “Lean back against the house, sweetheart. Don’t wanna squish the baby.” Allison laughed. “Good save, jerk.” He moved his hips and slid into her. Allison grabbed his hair with both hands, pulling it hard. “That’s it, baby. Pull it all you want.” 

Dog, having grown used to his human interactions, found himself a dry place to lay until they decided to go inside and maybe give him a treat for being a heckin’ good boy. That’s what the woman person called him when he did something that pleased her. 

Eric was in the kitchen making dinner for him and Aaron when he heard strange noises. This wasn’t a world where any kind of strange noise could simply be blown off. He went into the dining room, where the sound was loudest, and peeked out the window. “Oh. My. God. Aaron! You have to come and see this!” Daryl had Allison up against the side of their house, fucking her into the wall in the pouring rain. “Eric! We shouldn’t be watching this!” Aaron admonished. “Well, then quit looking.” Aaron snickered. “In a minute. I want to make sure they get inside.” 

“Daryl… Harder, baby!” The muscles of his strong legs were tight and bulging almost as much as the ones in his arms. “Tell me ya love me.” It came out as a hard, raspy plea. “I love you, baby. God, I love you.” “I love you, Allison.” Her head fell back against the house. Rain poured down harder, drenching them both. “Daryl… Oh, shit, baby! I’m gonna cum.” He blinked water out of his eyes and watched her fall apart in his arms. “Me too, honey,” Daryl growled through clenched teeth. “Give it to me, Daryl. Fill me up.” His hips snapped into her in a frenzied way until he nearly dropped to his knees. 

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“Wanna tell me what that was all about earlier?” They were lying in bed, passing a casserole dish back and forth. “I don’t know. I really am sorry that I lost my temper though. Think you can ever forgive me?” Daryl shrugged a shoulder. “Dunno. You were pretty mean. My feelings may never recover,” he teased. Allison laid her head on his shoulder and kissed it. “I love you, baby. I know I was way out of line.” He laid his head against hers. “Nah, sweetheart. I never shoulda said ya had cankles. Ya don’t. I was just worried. I want you and the little one to be ok.” “I know. I feel terrible about the way I talked to you.” He fed her the last bite of the casserole Carol had brought over. “It’s forgotten. I swear it. We’re all good now and that’s all that matters.” “I can’t promise that I won’t have another hormonal outburst, but I promise to always make up with you.” “That’s all I can ask. I promise not to be so much of a jackass next time I’m worried about somethin’.” 

After Daryl took the dish down and washed it, he got back into bed and rubbed some lotion between his hands. “Thought I’d rub your belly and talk to our girl.” He had the sweetest smile on his face and Allison had no idea how she could have ever been angry with him. He settled in and started gently rubbing his hands all over her belly. “Let’s see, so mama is twenty-eight-weeks now. That means we have to wait for twelve more weeks ‘fore we get to meet ya. Are you excited to get outta there?” The baby rolled against his hands. “Yeah? We are, too. Ya know, this ain’t the same world that mama and me grew up in, but we’re gonna do everything we can to make sure that you have a good life.” The baby rolled and Allison’s belly moved in a big wave. “You getting wild in there?” he laughed. “We’re gonna have as many adventures as we can. If ya want, I’ll take ya huntin’ with me. We’ll go fishin’ and I’ll teach ya how to swim. I’m gonna do everything right with you. It might be a shi-... bad world, but you’re gonna have a good life.” Allison felt happiness and contentment, unlike anything she’d ever felt before. She laid there, smiling and running her fingers through Daryl’s hair while he told the baby all about the life he or she was going to have. They both had experienced all of the worst and they were determined to give their baby everything they never had.

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This was very weird for Daryl. He’d never really had the occasion to play much make-believe growing up, and sitting there trying to learn how to help Allison breathe through contractions just felt strange. They had two copies of the same book and Allison assigned him a couple of chapters to study so they could practice what they’d read. Daryl was timing the length of contractions so they would have an idea of how long it would feel. They would start a pretend contraction, Allison would begin breathing, and Daryl would coach her through it. They also practiced getting into various positions that were supposed to help make her more comfortable. The more they practiced, the more Daryl became comfortable with pretending. He liked getting an idea of what things would be like. 

“I’m starting to feel better about this,” Allison stated when the practice contraction was over. “Yeah? Me too. Feels good to know that I can help get you through this.” Allison leaned against his chest and tilted her head back to kiss him. “We’re going to be awesome, babe. Are you going to be here in the morning?” “Mmm-hmm,” he hummed as he kissed her. “Why?” “Because Carol and the girls are coming over in the morning to set up the spare bedroom with the stuff that the group brought back from that birthing center. They have a sling that has to be hung from the ceiling, and they’ll need help getting the stuff carried in.” Daryl looked confused. “The hell’s the sling for?” “It’s a birthing sling or labor sling. It’s just something that I can use to help me to be comfortable and is supposed to help the baby get into the correct position while I’m in labor.” Daryl massaged her shoulders while she was sitting in front of him. “I’ll be here and we’ll get the room ready. It’s starting to feel real now, huh?” Allison nodded. “We’re getting closer every day. You ready for sleepless nights and dirty diapers?” “Hell yeah!”


	21. Chapter 21

Daryl shot back the remaining whiskey in his glass and stared at that asshole Spencer who was chatting Allison up as if she wasn’t taken and within a week of her due date. Abraham was going on about something or another that he and a bunch of guys in his unit got up to while they were in Afghanistan. Everyone was laughing, except for Daryl. If looks could kill, Spencer would be a dead man. Allison was clearly trying to get away from him. She had taken a few steps in the direction where Daryl was, but Spencer just kept talking. He would go rescue her if she didn’t get away soon, but he was trying to be on his best behavior and let it go. That lasted right up until Spencer put his hand on Allison’s big belly. She didn’t care for people just thinking that they had the right to touch her belly just because she was pregnant. The look on her face was clear even in the dusky early evening. That smug prick kept his hand on her belly even when she took another step back. “Mother fucker,” Daryl growled, slamming his glass down on the table. 

Abraham and Rick saw what Daryl was headed for and headed after him. Allison didn’t need to see Daryl beating the hell out of Spencer, even if he did deserve it. The general consensus among their group was that Spencer was weasley and not to be trusted as far as they could throw him. Given the current set of circumstances, Rick thought that Daryl might be able to launch him right over the gates. 

“Hey, Daryl!” Allison said a little too cheerfully. “I was just telling Spencer that I was about to go and find you.” Her eyes looked relieved that he’d come to save her. “There’s more of that cherry stuff you like. Better come get it now before somebody else finds it.” There was an iciness in Daryl’s tone that couldn’t be ignored. “Hey, Daryl,” Spencer started. “You ready for all of this birth stuff? I hear it can be a real horror show.” Well, that just did it for Allison. She started to let Spencer have it, but Rick suggested that she should come with him to get the rest of the cherry crisp. 

As soon as she was out of earshot, Daryl put his finger against Spencer’s chest. “The fuck is wrong with you? She’s scared out of her mind about giving birth and you had to go and call it a horror show?” Spencer began to stammer and Daryl shoved him. “D’ya even think before you start talkin’, dumbass?” Spencer shoved his hands into his pockets and kicked at some rocks. “That’s what I thought. Tell ya what, stay far away from Allison and I won’t have to beat your ass.” 

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Daryl carried the full dish of cherry crisp that Carol made special just for Allison as they walked back home. The community got together tonight for a kind of Fourth of July celebration. Allison was waddling slowly and breathing hard. “Y’alright, sweetheart?” “Yeah. The baby is taking up all the room for my lungs.” Daryl wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her up their stairs. “Go on and get comfortable. I’ll bring you a bowl of this stuff.” “Thanks, babe.” 

He came in a few minutes later and sat on the couch beside her. “Wanna watch a movie?” Allison nodded as she shoveled in a big bite of her current favorite treat. “Any movie in particular?” “Hmmm… Horror or comedy.” Daryl stood, scanning the shelves of DVDs for a few minutes. “We’ve not watched the ‘Insidious’ movies yet. How does that sound?” Allison agreed, rubbing her aching bump. She was having a hard time getting comfortable and she’d been having twinges in her lower back all day. “Want me to get your comfortable clothes?” Allison gave him a puppy-eyed nod. “Thank you, baby.”

They sat in the dark, watching the scary movie. It was too hot for cuddling, but Daryl was rubbing his fingers up and down Allison’s legs which she seemed to be enjoying. He was keeping an eye on her as she had been wincing and shifting around since they got home. She was only a week away from her due date, so it was possible that she could be going into labor. After the fourth time, he saw her face scrunch up and heard her grunting because of her discomfort, he couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “Sweetheart? Everything ok?” She nodded. “I think the baby is in a weird position or something. I keep getting these weird cramps.” Daryl leaned forward on the couch and gave her an incredulous look. “Yeah, you’re getting them every few minutes. Think we should be timing ‘em?” “Naaa. I’m sure it’s just Braxton-Hicks contractions, or just that the baby doesn’t have much room.” Daryl didn’t trust that she was completely aware of what might be happening, so he decided that he would quietly time her every time she had that look.

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“Everything looks good. You and the baby are just where you’re supposed to be, and you’re already dilated to two centimeters.” Daryl understood that there was only one way to check the progress of dilation, but he was still standing with his arms crossed over his chest with a pissy look on his face. He didn’t like standing there while Siddiq was knuckles-deep in Allison’s lady business. Today was Allison’s official due date and she was uncomfortable. It was hotter than hell and she wasn’t sleeping very well. “You got any questions?” Siddiq asked, looking from Allison to Daryl. “Yeah, when is this baby coming?” Allison asked, grumpily. She was done being pregnant. It was too damn hot for all that. “Well, I’d say any time now. You’ve been having some contractions and you’re already beginning to dilate. There are things that you can try to get things moving if you want.” Daryl wasn’t sure how he felt about trying to make it happen. He thought that the baby would come when she was ready. Allison was ready to chug gallons of castor oil if that’s what it took. Clearly, they weren’t on the same page, and Daryl was being wise and keeping his mouth shut on the matter. 

“Hey, guys!” Abraham called when he spotted them coming out of the infirmary. “That little rugrat ever gonna come outta there?” “Shit,” Daryl said under his breath. “Apparently not, Abe,” Allison responded. “Just gonna live in there forever.” Daryl whispered a prayer that Abe would just keep walking and not come over and try to offer any suggestions to get the baby to come. And, thanks to all of the gods, he waved and went the other way. “C’mon, darlin’. Let’s get you home and cooled off.”

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A whole week past her due date, Allison was miserable and crabby as fuck. Daryl kept his head low unless he was fetching whatever she wanted or needed. “I want this kid out of me,” she groaned as she awkwardly sat down on one of the deck chairs. “I know, sweetheart. Can I do somethin’ for ya? Want me to get ya some food or something to drink?” Allison shook her head. “No, thanks. There’s no room for anything other than your giant kid.” He really wanted to laugh, but he knew better. She’d either cry or throw something at him, and he didn’t want either of those things to happen. “I could take ya swimmin’. Might be good for ya to cool off and let your body relax in the water.” Daryl knew a great little swimming hole not far outside of the gates, and, it was safe. She thought about it for a minute and it did sound amazing. “You really don’t mind?” He gave her a crooked grin and a wink. “Of course not. I’d do anything for ya.” 

Swimming was the best idea. The place Daryl found was nice and shaded which helped to keep the water cool. Since it was secluded and no one else was there, she didn’t worry about finding a cover-up, she rocked her bikini and Daryl loved it. He thought she was stunning. He adored her great big belly especially when he got to see it without anything covering it. He’d always thought that she was beautiful, even long before they got together, but there was something about the way she looked while carrying life inside of her that made her even more captivating. He watched as she ambled carefully from the grass to the water’s edge and then transition to a graceful glide as she went deeper into the water. This place was a perfect haven for her. It was protected by a high fence that surrounded the entire property. Daryl, of course, was always on full alert and prepared just in case. Long before he even considered bringing her out here, he’d found some goggles and swam every inch of the bottom to make sure that there was nothing nefarious down there. He would never be able to forgive himself if she was hurt or bitten because he hadn’t checked. 

Swimming and being able to weightlessly float was exactly what Allison needed. It allowed her body to fully relax. She kicked out her feet in front of her and floated on her back, lazily moving her arms just enough to keep herself from sinking. She looked peaceful and content, and Daryl was relieved. He could only imagine that carrying a tiny human had to be uncomfortable. Some of the books he’d read helped to put it in perspective for him, but still, there was no way for him to know what this was like for her.

When they came back, Daryl got into the shower with her, pulling her against his chest. “Just rest on me, darlin’. I’ll take care of everything.” He washed her hair and worked conditioner into her long locks. He twisted it into a low bun and then lathered her from head to toe with one of her scented body washes. When they were finished, he sat behind her and gently combed her hair. There weren’t many ways for him to pamper her, but he was willing to do anything that made her happy and helped take her mind off of her discomfort. 

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“Daryl,” Allison whispered, shaking his arm. “Wake up.” Daryl sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “The baby?” he slurred. “No. We need to have sex.” He looked at her like she’d lost her mind. The last time he tried to initiate something he ended up alone in the bathroom, just him and his right hand working out some pent up aggression. “Really?” That was all he’d allow himself to say on the matter. He was not about to poke the bear. “You up for it or not?” Allison struggled to get onto her knees and lean on the headboard for support. She was naked and ready and just waiting for Daryl to catch up. Not one to pass up this kind of opportunity, Daryl shucked his underwear and was behind her in a heartbeat. 

He slid his hand between her thighs and rubbed the length of her dripping womanhood. “I want you so bad, Daryl. Please, baby.” He tossed her hair over one shoulder and laid soft kisses across the back of her shoulder and neck. “I’m all yours, baby girl. I’mma give ya whatever you need.” He slowly worked two of his fingers in and out of her, listening to her sweet moans. “You tell me if it’s too much, sweetheart. Don’t wanna hurt you or the little one.” Allison nodded, breathless with need. “Please, Daryl. God, I need you.” 

He laid his hand on her hip and gently eased himself into her. “Oh God, yes, baby!” She reached for his hands. He laid his over the tops of hers, intertwining their fingers. “You’re so beautiful, sweetheart.” He moved slowly and lovingly into her. He needed to show her what he was feeling inside. He nestled his face against the back of her neck and breathed and moaned into her ear. She loved hearing the sounds that she knew she was responsible for him making. It always had a dizzying effect on her and tonight was maybe even more intense. They moved as one, gently, and in the most passionate ways. Daryl squeezed her hands and closed his eyes as breathed hard into her ear.

“I love you, Allison. So, much baby girl.” She thought she might weep at his sweet professions and the way he was making love to her. There had never been a moment in her whole life where she felt as loved and revered as she did right now. “I love you, baby. More than anything.” Daryl let out a strangled cry. No one had ever loved him the way Allison did. No one but Allison had ever told him that they loved him, and sometimes it stole his breath. “Never let me go, Daryl.” “You’re mine forever, sweetheart. Never letting go for anything. I promise.” “You’re mine, baby. I’ll never let you go.” 

They made love for a long time, vowing their undying promises to cherish and keep each other always. Finally, when they were well and truly spent, they drifted into a deep slumber. Daryl was a happy, fulfilled man. It was something that he often longed for all those many years ago when he was alone. It was his secret dream. Those days when he would traipse up to his apartment above the garage and would wash the days’ grease and sweat from his body and then lie on the couch with the TV on, he would often daydream about what his life would be like if he found a pretty girl who loved him the way he loved her. He would work hard to give her the kind of life she deserved. Maybe a little house with a yard where she could plant flowers. He would never raise his voice to her, nor would he ever raise his hand to her. No, any girl of his would know that his hands were gentle and kind. All those years ago he told himself that he was a fool for even thinking it. He was a Dixon after all, and Dixons were trash as far as everyone was concerned. There was no way in hell any self-respecting pretty girl would ever entertain the notion of being with someone like him. He was different than his blood, but hardly anyone would give him the chance to prove it. 

After Allison lost Nate, she gave up on any ideas she had for the future. The way that her parents had screamed at her and blamed her for Nate’s death was the final destruction of any hope she held out for herself. She was toxic as far as she was concerned. She should never be responsible for anyone in any way except for at her job. At her job, all she had to do was follow the protocols. If it worked, it worked. If not, it wasn’t meant to be, and she would just move on to the next patient. She went on very few dates and made it clear that she wasn’t interested in anything more than possibly hooking up. She never stayed the night and she never called them back. She fucked up in the most crushing way with the one person who meant the world to her, no way was she going to let herself feel that way again.

At the end of the world, or so it seemed, fate had other plans for Daryl and Allison. They were thrust together with a hodge-podge of other survivors and they both felt responsible for keeping everyone safe and alive. Early on, they butted heads, sometimes screaming obscenities at each other, but fate kept intervening and crushing their walls until they saw something in the other that helped them to begin to mend those old wounds. They would never let each other go, and they both went to sleep on this night knowing that they healed the other’s hearts.

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The sun was barely up and Allison was holding her hard belly in her hands, brow furrowed, and trying not to make any noise. She wasn’t sure, not completely, but she thought that she might finally be in labor. Beside her, Daryl slept soundly. One of his arms was thrown over his eyes and the other was on his belly. She always loved watching him sleep. It was the only time he wasn’t carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He cared so much for the people they considered family that he could never fully relax. He was always worried that something was going to happen. It was the only life he’d ever known. 

Allison looked at the watch as another painful contraction started. They were coming every five to six minutes now and had been for more than an hour. They were going to get their baby today.


	22. Chapter 22

“Mmmmmmmm…” Allison was trying to be quiet through these early contractions and let Daryl get as much sleep as he could. She slipped out of bed and headed for the shower. She knew that even with the contractions she was having, this could still not be time. Plus, after last night’s activities, she didn’t want to be gross when Siddiq checked her. The sun was hardly full in the sky, and it was already hot, so Allison turned on a tepid shower and stood under the refreshing spray. She stood under the water, thinking of things that she could do to keep herself busy while she figured out if she was truly in labor. There was some laundry that needed folding, and she really wanted to give the living room another once-over to make sure that there was no dust gathering. She would sweep the kitchen, but Daryl told her he didn’t want her doing that. It made him uncomfortable and he thought that it might somehow hurt her or the baby. Dog would need to be walked, but she wasn’t sure she should do that. 

Another hard contraction had her biting her lip and grimacing. Maybe none of those things needed to be done. She was almost completely convinced that she was in labor and she needed to finish up in here and go and wake Daryl. When it passed, Allison rushed to wash up and get dressed. Daryl was still in the same position he was in when she snuck out of bed. The sheet was barely covering his morning erection and it made Allison giggle. She adored getting to see him so vulnerable. The moment was cut short when her belly began to harden with another contraction. Yep. This was real and it was happening. Today was the day.

“Good morning, love,” Allison said quietly, stroking her fingers along the smooth underside of his arm. He smiled and hummed, reaching for her hand. “Mornin’, sweetheart. How’re ya feelin’?” He asked her that every morning lately, hoping that she would tell him that it was the day. “We’re fine. Been having contractions for over an hour now. Are you ready to be a daddy today?” Daryl bolted up and put his hand on her belly. “Are you ok? Do I need to get Siddiq? What about Carol and the girls? Is everything ready?” “Dar…” He jumped up and was rushing about the room, grabbing clothes and pulling them on as fast as he could. She watched in amusement as he hopped on one leg trying to pull his pants on. “You just lay back and relax and I’ll go get Siddiq… Maybe you should come with me. I don’t wanna leave ya alone.” Allison was very still and very quiet and Daryl realized that she was probably having a contraction. He sat beside her and put his hand on her belly once again. “You’re doin’ good, baby.” When he saw her sitting there he flashed back to everything they’d read and practiced and knew that he needed to be calm and be her center. They were going to be a team through this like they were for everything else.

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Siddiq monitored Allison for a little while and checked her cervix. “You’re definitely making some progress. You’re four centimeters and soft. You’re contracting in a normal pattern, so I would call this active labor.” Daryl was standing above her head, stroking her hair. He was trying hard not to show how scared he was. This was the hard part and where things could go sideways in a hurry. Early on, he and Allison agreed not to look at the complications that could arise. All that would accomplish would be creating worry about something that they would have no control over. They trusted Siddiq, Carol, Tara, and Enid to help them get the baby here safely. “If you’re feeling up to it, walking will really help,” Siddiq suggested. 

“You sure you’re up for walkin’?” Daryl asked. Allison was standing still, facing him and breathing her way through another contraction. “Yes. Breathe with me,” she barked. He knew it wasn’t anger, she was simply talking through the pain. “Ok. Do it with me, girl. In through your nose.” He inhaled deeply, pausing for a few seconds. “Blow out slowly.” Allison relaxed as he talked her through. Hearing his voice was just what she needed to help her redirect her focus. “Good girl. Let’s do it again.” They were in the middle of the street, her arms around his neck and their heads together. Rick saw them and waited until they broke apart. 

“Hey, you two. How’s it going?” Rick asked, happily. New life was coming to the community and it was a blessing. He was happy for his brother. Daryl looked at Rick and had the happiest look he’d ever seen on him. “Baby’s comin’. Allison’s doin’ real good. We’re walking to move things along.” Rick took Allison’s free hand and kissed it. “We’ll be thinking about you guys. Send word if there’s anything we can do or if you need anything.” “Thanks, Rick. We will.” Allison was radiant. She seemed peaceful and ready to do the hard work ahead of her. 

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“Noooooooooo! I can’t fucking…. Oh no… No no no no no no...” Daryl was on his knees in front of her. Allison was kneeling in the birth pool and was contracting every one to two minutes. They were lasting longer and there was a shorter duration between them. Siddiq was behind, checking her cervix and Allison was quite unhappy about it. She pulled at Daryl’s shirt and cried into his chest. “C’mon, darlin’, breathe with me. We’re gonna get you on top of the surges.” Carol suggested that they call her contractions surges so she wouldn’t connotate the word with pain. She tensed and lunged away from Siddiq’s hand. “I’m sorry, Allison. I know it hurts, honey,” he soothed. He was trying to determine her progress, but she was in pain and moving and it made it difficult. “Almost done. Just hang in there for another second.” 

“You’re doin’ good, baby girl. I’m so proud of you,” Daryl told her quietly. Carol and the girls moved about out of Allison’s sight so they wouldn’t distract her. Enid went to the kitchen to get her a popsicle they made with water they added salt and sugar to and some fresh fruit juice from the berries they grew. There was also a big watermelon waiting for her if she wanted it. Allison was finally able to relax a little and sat down in the water. Daryl rubbed her shoulders and Tara poured the cool water over her belly. “Daryl?” her voice was small and there was a little fear in it. “Yeah, sweetheart?” “I want to get out and walk around. I’m not comfortable here anymore.” Daryl and Tara helped her to get out of the pool. “Where do ya want to go, sweetheart?” Allison closed her eyes and started breathing the way they practiced. She wrapped her arms around Daryl’s neck and allowed him to support her weight. He breathed right along with her, whispering words of encouragement. She walked a path from the spare downstairs bedroom, around the kitchen and dining room, and then to the living room. By the time she made it to the living room, she needed to sit on the couch and breathe with Daryl. 

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Thunder rumbled in the distance and heat lightning flashed in the dark sky. Allison had been in labor all day and she was exhausted. Daryl hadn’t left her for a second. Carol made sure that he ate, even feeding him bites when he was busy supporting Allison. He wiped a frozen washcloth over her face and neck. They had every available fan circulating air around the room to help cool her off. They were all praying that it would rain and help break the heat and awful humidity that hung in the air. 

Allison writhed around digging her nails into Daryl’s arm. “Daryl! My fucking back is killing me. Oh, God… Please help me,” she sobbed. This was killing Daryl. She was pleading for him to take it away, but he didn’t know what to do. “Allison, let’s get you on the birthing ball and let Daryl put pressure against your back and see if that helps,” Carol offered. Anything had to be better than being in this bed. She looked as tired as Daryl knew she was. He hoped that it would all be over soon so she could get some rest. 

“Lower,” Allison directed. She was perched on the ball and leaning on the bed for support. Daryl was behind her, pressing both of his hands into her back. “Oh, yeah. Right there, babe.”   
“I can do this as long as you need, sweetheart.” She started to groan as another contraction began. “Push harder, Daryl! God this fucking hurts!” 

Things happened really quickly and Daryl was taken aback. Allison shrieked and her water broke. She was screaming about pressure and that she needed to get off of the ball. “Where do you want me to take you?” he asked. “Pool. Get me in the pool, now.” Daryl quickly lifted her into his arms and carried her to the pool. Everyone converged on Allison. “I’m going to check you, ok?” All she could do was make this loud, primal sound, so Daryl told Siddiq to do what he needed. Daryl kissed her face and told her that everything was going to be fine, despite his nerves. “I guess all you needed was to sit on the ball, girl,” Siddiq smiled. “I can feel the baby’s head. You’re ready to push whenever you feel the urge.” Tara went to get more of the frozen washcloths and something cold for Allison to sip on if she needed it. 

“D’ya hear that, sweetheart? Our baby’s almost here. You did it, baby girl. I love you so much. I’m right here, honey. I’ve got you.” Allison needed to hear everything he was saying. She was so tired and she was in overwhelming pain. She was shaking violently and was becoming nauseous. “What’s wrong, Allison? Why’s she shakin’ like that?” Daryl demanded. “It’s normal, Daryl. Her body is preparing for delivery. She’s ok.” She cried out and grabbed Daryl’s arm, squeezing as hard as she could. “I’m right here, baby.” “I need to push.” “Go ahead, Allison. You’re ready now.” 

Thunder rumbled louder now and Allison was screaming as she pushed. Carol knelt beside Daryl and placed one of the frozen washcloths on top of her head. “Remember how we talked about saving all of your energy to push?” she asked. “Yeah.” “The next time you push, I want you to use that energy you would use for screaming and see if you don’t move your baby further. I bet you do.” Surprisingly, Allison was very receptive to this. She was still shaking and Daryl had a death grip on her, holding her upright against the side of the pool. “Ok, now,” Allison huffed. She was silent as she directed all of her focus to get her baby out of her body. “Good girl, Allison! Keep pushing just like that!” Siddiq encouraged. “I can see the baby’s head. Daryl, lean over and you can see it.” Daryl raised up on his knees and looked as Carol took Allison’s hand and placed it on the baby’s head. “Just a few more pushes and you’ll have your baby.” 

She only wanted to hear Daryl’s voice but had a really hard time getting the words out. When Carol or Siddiq started to talk she shushed them. “Only Daryl. Only… Mmmmm, fuck! Only his voice.” For the remaining few pushes, the only sound Allison heard was herself grunting and panting, and Daryl encouraging her along. He took cues from Siddiq as to what he was supposed to tell her to do. “Alright, baby. Push real hard this time. The baby’s almost here.” He was in her ear, whispering for her to keep going when she was ready to quit. “Next push and the baby’s head will be out. You ready?” Allison nodded and Daryl took a moment to kiss her. “I love you. It’s almost over, baby girl.” Allison pushed with all her strength, and try as she might, she was unable to hold back the scream when the baby’s head emerged. “Holy shit! The head’s out, love! You did it!” Daryl was so happy and excited and tears fell unnoticed as he told her to push one last time to get their baby out. 

Daryl watched in utter amazement as their baby came the remainder of the way from her mother’s body. Everyone was silent and still, basking in the breathtaking moment. “Daryl, reach down and get your baby and put her on her mommy’s chest,” Siddiq said quietly. Daryl reached into the water and scooped up his daughter. “Hi there, sweetie. I’m Daddy.” He laid their daughter on Allison’s chest and they cried together. Allison rubbed her daughter’s back to stimulate her to cry and when they finally heard that first little squall from her, they were elated. Carol wiped away her happy tears and placed a hand on Daryl’s back. “Do you want to cut the cord, Daddy?” He wiped away his own tears with the back of his hand. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“How did you know we were having a girl?” Allison asked with a smile. “I just knew. I knew it when I looked at you. There was just somethin’ about the way you looked.” “So, what’s her name?” “Nova Wren Dixon. What d’ya think?” Allison smiled, looking up at the love of her life, “I think it’s beautiful.”


	23. Chapter 23

Daryl was too excited, and a bit nervous if he was being honest, to sleep. He stood close by his baby girl anytime anything was done with her. Enid took her to wash her and get her dressed and Daryl hovered over the top, watching his daughter blink and look around at her new world. He just couldn’t be away from her. Nothing in the whole world could have prepared him for the way he felt when he laid eyes on his girl for the first time. Siddiq and Carol were tending to Allison and she assured him that she was fine. Tara went to make Allison and Daryl something to eat. They needed it after the day they’d put in. 

Soon, everyone was gone and Daryl held his little one while Allison ate. She couldn’t stop smiling watching him with the baby. He rubbed his finger across Nova’s tiny ones. “She so beautiful, Allison. I can’t believe she’s really here. You were amazing.” Allison smiled tiredly from the bed. Seeing the two loves of her life bonding together made her feel so unbelievably fulfilled. “You know that you’re going to have to let me hold her so I can feed her, right?” “Yeah, I know,” he replied, still looking at his daughter. 

He settled beside his girls, watching his daughter as she nursed. “You need to eat, babe. I promise, she’s not going anywhere.” Daryl tried to convince her that he wasn’t hungry, but Allison insisted. “Come on, D. Tara made you a plate. You can eat right here beside us.” He finally agreed and as soon as he had food in front of him, he realized that he was ravenous. Carol had not only been an incredible source of comfort and support to him and Allison, but she also made several casseroles and meals that she packed away into their freezer. She left one of the meals out for them to eat tonight. He was grateful for everything that Carol, Tara, and Enid had done for them to help them.

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Visitors came in to meet the new baby steadily throughout the next day. Carol was an excellent buffer for when Allison needed to nurse Nova, or when they all just needed a break. Daryl was in complete awe that Allison was up and moving around so well. He had it in his mind that she would be in bed recovering for days. Still, he hovered close by anytime Allison was up and trying to do anything. When they finally had a quiet moment, Daryl held her in his arms and kissed her. “So proud of you, sweetheart.” “I couldn’t have done it without you, babe. You are what got me through it. I love you, and I love our gorgeous baby girl.” He laid his cheek on top of her head and held her tight. “I love you and Nova more than anything. Y’all are my whole world.” 

By early evening, they were all worn out and ready to call it a day. Allison finished feeding Nova and Daryl took her to burp her and get her changed. “You sure you’ve got this? I can change her diaper, babe.” Daryl nodded. “I need to practice.” Daryl rocked his baby and patted her back until he got a little burp out of her. “Let’s get you changed and ready for bed. How does that sound to Daddy’s girl?” He grabbed a new diaper and baby wipes, thankfully there were cases of baby wipes at the baby store they emptied and laid her down to change her. Daryl smiled like a fool at the tiny noises she made. “Ok now, go easy on daddy. I ain’t done this more than a time or two and Judith was bigger than you are.” He carefully undid her diaper and stopped everything. “Hey Allison,” he called out, nervously. “Yeah, babe? Everything ok?” “Her, uh, her poop is black. Is she ok? Is something wrong?” Allison came over to where he was trying to clean up the baby and tried to reassure him. “Yes, honey. The first few poops are going to be this way. There’s nothing to worry about.” She watched as he did everything just the way you're supposed to do with a baby girl, and was impressed. “You’re good at this. Good job, daddy.” Nova started to fuss as she was over this diaper changing business. “Alright, daddy’s all done.” He held her against his chest and rubbed her tiny back until she settled down. “That’s my girl. You wanna try this sleepin’ thing for a little while? I know mama and daddy sure need a little shut-eye. Don’t worry, though, you’ll be in your cradle right beside me.” He kissed the top of his daughter’s soft head and carried her upstairs.

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“You don’t look like you’re getting much sleep,” Rick observed. Daryl had bags and dark circles under his eyes. “Yeah, we’re not. Nova is an eating machine. Seems like we just get her down and she’s right back up and ready to eat again.” Daryl was supposed to be helping a group prepare to go out on a run, but Rick pulled him out and told him to go home and rest. “Maybe you and Allison should bring the baby and come over for dinner tonight. I know that Michonne would love to have you over and you know that Judith will be enamored with Nova.” Daryl nodded as he thought about it. “Yeah, thanks. I think it’d be good for Allison to get out of the house for a little bit. I think she’s starting to go a little stir crazy being cooped up all the time. I’ll talk to her and let ya know in a little while.” 

“Hi, beautiful. Did you get a little sleep?” Allison nodded as she peeked at the sleeping baby. “She just went back down. How did the thing go?” She felt bad that she couldn’t remember what Daryl was off doing, but her brain was mush. “I kept noddin’ off, so Rick told me to go home. Him and Michonne want us to come over for dinner tonight. I think it might be good for all of us to get out of the house for a little while.” “Sounds good to me. We have a solid hour to hour-and-a-half that she’ll be asleep. Wanna crash?” Daryl yawned and followed her to their bed.

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Allison showered and got herself ready, and while Daryl was in the shower, she picked out an absolutely precious outfit for Nova to wear to Uncle Rick and Aunt Michonne’s. It had the cutest matching headband with a big bow. Nova was very loudly protesting the bow situation. She was pitching the unholiest of fits and Daryl came out of the shower to find out what was wrong. “The hell’s that on her head?” Daryl scowled. “It’s a bow. It matches her outfit.” Daryl gently took the thing off of his girl. “What’s mama doin’ to you, huh? Don’t worry, sweetie, daddy won’t let her put that crap on your head anymore.” Allison wanted to pout that she wasn’t getting to play dress-up with her daughter, but it was so funny that at only a few days old she was already so much like her father. 

“Here, babe, I’ll take her so you can get dressed,” Allison said, reaching out her hands. Daryl turned away, protectively holding the baby to his chest and glaring at Allison. He had a bit of a smirk as much as he tried not to. “Ain’t you done enough for one day, woman?” Allison started laughing and it was the best feeling. She was beginning to have the hormone dump that occurs after giving birth and she had some pretty emotional episodes. Daryl was glad to see her laughing. 

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“Guys, Nova is so beautiful. She even has Daryl’s scowl down,” Michonne laughed. She wasn’t wrong. Allison noticed that shared expression right away and thought it to be one of the most adorable things ever. She even had a tiny little mole in the same spot as her daddy. “Thank you, Michonne. I still can’t believe that she’s finally here.” Michonne couldn’t stop smiling as she gently rocked side-to-side. “I heard that Daryl did a hell of a job helping to get her here.” Allison’s expression was one of blissful love. She reached over and squeezed his hand and he smiled. “I couldn’t have done it without him. He was amazing through it all. He was the first person to hold her.” Allison started to get teary-eyed just thinking of it. “Shit. I’m sorry,” she stammered as she blinked away her tears. “Honey, you just gave birth. You’re going to be a little hormonal for a hot minute. Let it happen and know that it’s perfectly normal.”

Rick came around to where Michonne was sitting and held out his hands. “Sorry, but it’s my turn to get to know this precious girl.” Michonne reluctantly handed her over. Holding Nova was stirring up some feelings and she wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. “Daryl, you gave her a pretty name. What does it mean?” “Nova means new, or creation of a new star. Either way, she’s everything that is new. She’s new life here, a new hope for all of us. Plus,” he looked to Allison, “she’s a new beginning for me and Allison. We get to give her the kind of life we didn’t get when we was comin’ up. Wren means little songbird.” Everyone was quiet and trying to figure out just what to say so they didn’t make Daryl uncomfortable. He clearly had put a great deal of thought into his daughter’s name and they all thought it was the most precious name he could have given her.

Daryl watched Allison laugh freely while they all ate dinner. He was glad to see her relaxed and enjoying herself. He knew that postpartum depression was a real thing and that he needed to be hyper-aware and help her as much as he could. Rick told him that for the foreseeable future, he would be their support and planning person. There was no way he would have Daryl be away from his girls if he could help it. “Daryl, you want another beer?” Daryl started to decline, but Allison told him he should. “Enjoy yourself, babe. You’ve earned it.” 

Rick and Daryl had about half of their beer drank when commotion from outside had them going for the door. “Michonne, will you stay with Allison and the baby?” Daryl asked as he headed for the door. If anyone could keep them safe, it was her. “Of course. Be careful.” Allison’s heart hammered in her chest. She and Daryl were just finding what true happiness was and she was not ready for him to be away from her even if something big was happening. “I’m sure everything is fine. Try not to worry too much,” Michonne tried to reassure. “Nova will pick up on that, ya know.” “I know. I hope you’re right.”

Daryl and Rick went to the gate where Aaron and Eric had been keeping watch. Abraham and Sasha were close behind. “What’s going on?” Rick demanded. “There’s a girl who says she needs help. She says she’s alone and swears that no one is following her,” Aaron explained. “Do you believe her?” Aaron had always been an excellent judge of character, and his instincts had never led him or the group wrong. “I do. The thing is,” he leaned in so he could keep his voice low. “She looks like she’s been assaulted or abused. She has bruises on her face and she’s wearing long sleeves in this heat. I think she’s at least got a story and I don’t think we can let her in and not be really cautious.” Rick and Daryl nodded at the same time. They both saw that she was just a kid and there was no way they could turn her away. “We’ll take her to the infirmary and then to the cell. We’ll figure out what to do with her after we’ve had a chance to talk to her and get her story.” Rick tipped his head to Eric who opened the gate. Lydia walked in on shaky legs, her eyes wide with fear and mistrust. There were very bad people in this world and she’d barely escaped them.


	24. Chapter 24

Daryl stopped to let Allison and Michonne know what was going on. “I’ll be awhile getting this shit sorted out,” he told Allison, rubbing his fingers on his baby’s head. “I don’t want you and her to be alone until I know for sure what we’re dealing with.” Michonne readily agreed to walk them home and she and Judith would hang out there until they knew something. “Thanks, Michonne.” 

The girl was tiny. Undernourished and haggard. She was afraid of Siddiq and any other man that approached her. “Maybe we should have Allison take a look at her,” Siddiq suggested. “No. She’s takin’ care of the baby.” Daryl replied, sharply. Siddiq looked to Rick for a little help. “Daryl,” Rick started, “I think maybe she might be more willing to talk to another woman than one of us.” Daryl fumed inside. He knew they were right. He saw all the signs that the girl had been through some major shit with men, but Allison was only three days out from giving birth. He didn’t want her walking all the way back here after she just got home. While she hadn’t needed to be stitched up after the baby was delivered, she did tear a little and she was quite sore. “Then she has to come to my house. Allison can’t be walkin’ all over the goddamn place.” 

Daryl walked in front of Lydia, Rick and Aaron flanked her, and Abe took up the rear, just in case she decided to run. They didn’t know a thing about her, or if she might try to signal a group. Lydia kept her eyes pointed at the ground, looking up only enough so that she didn’t walk into the man in front of her. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up to Daryl and Allison’s porch. She had been able to use the banister to brace herself going into the infirmary, but now she had men on both sides of her and she was too embarrassed to tell them that she was hurt in a way that made it difficult to walk up the stairs without bracing on something. Daryl stood at the front door and he was the first to notice the pinched expression on her face when she took the first step. “She needs help. She’s hurt.” Daryl had a very good idea of just what had happened to her by the way she had been resistant to allow Siddiq to check her over, but seeing her pain confirmed it. He was already beginning to soften toward the girl and she hadn’t said more than a few words, and she certainly hadn’t done anything to earn his trust yet. 

Allison and Michonne were sitting on the couch while Judith very carefully touched Nova’s tiny fingers with one of her pudgy ones. Daryl asked for a second to explain to Allison what was going on before they brought Lydia inside. “That was fast,” Allison said when he walked in. “The girl’s been abused. She won’t let Siddiq near her. I, um, we brought her here so maybe you can take a look. Didn’t want ya to have to walk back down to the infirmary.” Allison handed Nova to Michonne who readily took the baby. “I’ve got her. You go ahead,” Michonne assured Allison and Daryl. 

Lydia walked in slowly, keeping her eyes cast down as she went. Allison approached her cautiously and introduced herself. “I was a paramedic before and I was the closest thing we had to a doctor here for a long time. I would be happy to talk to you in private if you’re ok with that.” Lydia liked the way Allison talked to her. She didn’t feel like she was being forced into anything else. Still, she didn’t know these people or if they would be any better than the ones she had managed to outrun. She knew that she had taken a huge risk by asking for help, but the thought of being caught and what would be done to her made the decision a hell of a lot easier to make. She was shaking and she nervously rubbed the sleeve of her shirt with her thumb. She was going to have to make another decision right now. It was either talk to this Allison person, or try to run out of here. 

She and Allison walked back to the room that Allison had given birth in, Lydia’s heart pounded the whole way. Allison closed the door behind them and assured her that it was just the two of them. “No one here is going to hurt you. I promise. Would you like to sit down? We can start just by talking.” Lydia spied a chair on one side of the bed and went to it. Allison noted the cautious way she sat and the look of pain she had for a moment after. “Did someone hurt you?” Lydia’s chin quivered and tears began to fall from her long dark lashes. “Yes,” she whispered. “You can trust me. I want to help you. All of us here will keep you safe. Do you know if the person or people that hurt you are following you?” Lydia shook her head. “I don’t think so. I escaped when they were sleeping and I was careful to cover my tracks and to make a lot of different moves to throw them off if they were following.” “Smart girl. Can you tell me what they did to you?” The dam finally broke. Lydia had not allowed herself a single moment to fret about what had happened. The time for that could come when she knew that she was safe. 

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Allison had poked her head out to ask Daryl or someone to go to the infirmary to get supplies for her a couple of times and then she disappeared back into the room once again. By the time she finished up with Lydia, Nova was getting really angry about not having her dinner. “Why don’t you lie down and rest for a little while? We’ll get you some food and some clean clothes and you can have a shower.” Lydia was physically and emotionally drained from her time spent eluding the people who had tormented her. 

Daryl was where he could keep an eye on the door and a careful ear out in case things went sideways. When Allison came fully out of the room and closed the door behind her, he was immediately concerned when the girl didn’t follow. “I told her to lie down and rest. She needs food and clean clothes. We’ll talk in there,” she pointed to the living room where Nova was furiously protesting the lack of her mother’s breast. 

Allison covered herself with one of Nova’s light blankets so the guys wouldn’t be uncomfortable while she nursed her baby. They all needed to be here to find out what they could about Lydia. “Well, you were all correct in thinking she’s been abused. It’s bad. She’s in terrible shape. She’s been starved, beaten, raped, and tortured. The worst of it all is that it was all done at her mother’s orders. She told me that her mother said it was to make her tough so she’d survive in this world. The insides of both of her arms are covered with these linear marks. I thought that she was self-harming, you know, maybe cutting herself, but she told me that her mother whipped her with a switch whenever she showed weakness.” Everyone in the room bore an expression of disgust and disbelief. “Jesus. That’s fucked up,” Abe said. “Yeah, it is. She’s just a kid. She’s smart though. She knew enough to hide her tracks and stay off their radar when she ran.” Allison rubbed her hand over Nova’s back as she thought about the hell that Lydia had endured. She hoped and prayed that if Nova was ever in a bad spot that she would be so lucky as Lydia was to find a safe place to go. “We can’t send her back out there. If they find her, they won’t kill her. They’ll keep her alive as long as they can to torture her.”

Rick paced the room, thinking of the best way to protect the girl as well as keep their home safe. “We need to post extra patrols and get some scouts outside of the walls to keep an eye on things on every side of the perimeter. We can house her in the cell for a while with a guard posted at all times.” Daryl shook his head. “Nah. Ain’t keepin’ her in a cage after all the shit she’s been through. She can stay here. Our house is the furthest from the gates so we’d have time to hide her if we had to. Plus, I’ll be here to keep her safe.” “Daryl,” Rick started. “He’s right,” Allison interrupted. “We can’t put her in a cage and treat her like a criminal if we expect her to ever begin to heal from this. She already is scared to death of men. If we put her in the cell and have a guard posted, all she’s ever going to think is that she’s going to be assaulted again. She’ll live in a constant state of anxiety.” 

Allison had expected Daryl to respond the way he did. She watched his expression and knew he would have supported her if she had been the one to suggest that Lydia stay with them. “Are you sure you guys want to do this?” Rick asked. “With Nova… I mean, we could put her with someone else?” Daryl shook his head again. “She needs to be here. There ain’t nowhere better for her to be.” It was as much as he would elaborate, but they all knew that he had a hard past and if anyone was able to keep his family and the girl safe, it was Daryl.

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Allison tried to get Lydia to come out of the room and meet Daryl, but she wasn’t ready. She thanked Allison for the new clothes and for the food she gave her. “There’s a bathroom in here, and there’s hot running water. You can take a shower and rest tonight. Listen, I know that you’ve been through hell, but Daryl is as good a guy as you’ll ever meet. He’s been through some shit, so he can relate. Not all men are like what you had to live with. Everyone here is good and we’ll all protect you and keep you safe. You just have to give us a chance.” Lydia nodded as she stared at her hands. “Start small and if it gets to be too much, you can always take a step back.” Allison started out and Lydia thanked her once more. “You’re welcome. Try to get some sleep. We’re upstairs if you need anything.”

Daryl stood watching over his daughter and wondering if he had made the safest decision. What if Lydia was a trap? His instincts told him that she wasn’t, but he couldn’t not be worried. He had a feeling about Lydia as soon as he saw her. She had the same kind of expression he always had any time he had to explain away bruises or another black eye. After Allison told them what she found out, he was even more sure that his intuition was right. “Hey, babe,” Allison whispered, wrapping her arms around his chest. “Baby girl go down ok?” He put his hands on her arms and nodded. “She went right down, no problem.” “It’s because you’re such a good daddy.” They sat side-by-side on the bed and Allison rested her head on his shoulder. “How’s the girl?” Allison let out a long sigh. “She’s scared. I tried to get her to come out and meet you, you know, get to know you a little tonight, but she wasn’t ready yet. She’s processing it all.” “Did we do the right thing by letting her stay here?” “Yes,” she replied immediately. “No one can help her the way that we can. I don’t think that she’s going to give us a reason to worry.” Daryl went over and locked their bedroom door. “I don’t think so either, but until she proves it, I’m not taking any chances.” 

Sometime in the wee hours of the night, Daryl wasn’t able to sleep. He quietly crept downstairs to get a drink of water. He checked the door to Lydia’s room and it was still closed. All was quiet in the house. He stood in front of the kitchen sink, looking out the window when he heard a quiet gasp. “S-sorry,” Lydia stammered. “I just needed a drink.” Daryl watched as she sank as far into herself as she could and he wanted to hug her. He wanted to hug her and tell her that she was safe and that everything would be ok the way he had wanted that for himself when he was young. He went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. “Here ya go.” He held it out to her so she would have to come closer to him. If nothing else, he at least wanted her to go back to bed knowing that he wasn’t anything like the pieces of filth that hurt her. “It’s alright. I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” Lydia trusted Allison and she had told her that Daryl was one of the best, so she decided that she would have to take a chance if she was ever to find out. “Thanks,” she whispered as she took the bottle of water and started to slink away. “You don’t gotta worry here. Ain’t nobody in this place ever gonna hurt you. You’ve been through the worst, now, maybe it’s time you get to have better. It was the same with me, so I get it.” For the first time, Lydia met his eyes with hers and she smiled.


	25. Chapter 25

Not everyone was thrilled to find out that they had a new addition to their community. There were rumblings about how she should have been kept locked up in the cell until she could prove her intentions. Rick and the other members of the council understood all of their concerns. “If we kept her locked up like a prisoner, how would she ever be able to prove herself? Plus, all of you know and trust Daryl and Allison. Do you really think that if they had any reservations about the girl, they would have allowed her to stay in their house with their brand new baby?” No one could argue that point. Daryl and Allison weren’t at this meeting. They opted to stay back so they could try to help Lydia begin to acclimate to her new life. 

Allison tapped lightly on Lydia’s door and waited to see if she was awake yet. Daryl had just finished making breakfast and they decided that they would invite Lydia to spend the day watching movies with them. The sooner they were able to get her socializing and comfortable with them, the sooner they could begin to integrate her with the rest of the community. She started to step away when Lydia cracked open her door. “Good morning,” Allison smiled. “Breakfast is ready if you’re hungry.” Lydia nodded and followed her into the dining room. “Would you like coffee?” “Yes, please,” Lydia answered quietly. Daryl was walking around and talking to Nova, telling her all about her cute little nose. Dog pawed at the back door and he let him in. Dog ran right over to Lydia and sat in front of her, expectantly waiting for her to introduce herself. Lydia lit up, smiling more than she had in a very long time. “Hi!” She offered her hand for Dog to sniff and when he found her to be friendly, he laid his big head on her lap. “What’s his name?” “Dog,” Daryl replied. Lydia looked at him to see if he was joking. “Dog? His name is seriously Dog?” Allison sighed and nodded. “Yep. Daryl said that’s what he responded to when he first met him, so he named himself.” She really tried not to laugh as she didn’t want to be rude, but it was rather amusing. “What’s so funny?” Daryl asked, smiling happily to see Lydia already beginning to relax a little. “Please tell me you didn’t name the baby, Baby,” she continued laughing. 

Breakfast went really well. Lydia felt so much more at ease after running into Daryl in the kitchen during the night. She didn’t want to be alone with him or any other man, but she felt like she might be able to trust him. “Daryl and I were thinking that we could spend the day in, watching movies. Would you like to join us? We thought you might need a few days to start to adjust and that this might help.” Lydia looked excited. “You have movies?” “Uh-huh. Got a bunch of ‘em. Daryl made it a point to talk to her as much as he could. He wanted her to know that she could trust him. When Allison told them about the switch marks on her arms, he was taken back to his childhood. Some of the scars on his back were from switches. Some were from other things. He knew how physically and mentally painful it was. Maybe if he could connect with her, he could let her know he understood a lot of what she’d been through. Even though she had only been there for less than a full day, he was already very protective of her.

Lydia offered to wash up the breakfast dishes, but Daryl told her to go look through the movies instead. “We’ll divide up chores some other time. You’re just settling in.” Lydia ducked her head, staring at the floor, and nodded. Daryl worried that maybe he sounded harsh, but he didn’t think he had. He was on edge, hoping that he could keep things calm and happy for all of the women in his house. 

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They spent a few days either inside or out on the back porch getting to know Lydia and helping her to feel more comfortable being there. A nice supply of beef came in from Hilltop and Daryl snagged some steaks and some vegetables from Olivia’s so he could make a special dinner. Allison could use the extra protein and Lydia could use any food they could get her to eat. 

Rick spotted Daryl and called for him to hold up for a second. “How’s it going with the girl?” He had been worried from the get-go, but Daryl had given him a few updates, still, he was nervous. “She’s doin’ good. Allison is going to get her out for a walk tomorrow. We’re trying to take things slow with getting her adjusted, but Allison thinks she’s ready for a walk, maybe meet a few people. How are the patrols lookin’? Any sign of trouble?” Rick shook his head. “Nothing yet. I was thinking about expanding the grid. Maybe have them go out a couple of miles. I would prefer to keep these assholes as far away from here as possible.” Daryl gnawed on his bottom lip for a second as he thought it over. “Ain’t a bad idea. Have ‘em double up at least and not engage anything if they ain’t gotta.” Rick agreed. “I was thinking that I’d get Abraham to organize it. He’s got the military experience and he’s good at strategy.” “Smart thinkin’,” Daryl commented. “He’ll do it right. Let me know when ya hear somethin’.” 

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Two nights later, Abe and the teams headed out. They were driving a mile out from each side of the walls. They would hide their cars and hoof it two more miles to check for signs of any kind of shit storm that might be headed their way. Every member of the team was heavily armed just in case. The orders were to observe and note the location of anything suspicious, and then double back to their cars. 

Daryl talked to Lydia to try to figure out which direction she came from and how long she walked to get to Alexandria. That was where Abe wanted to be. If anyone was to encounter the group, he wanted to be the man in charge. From what Daryl was able to glean from Lydia, she’d come in from the east, but she’d taken great strides to stay off of a set path. That was a good enough start for Abe. As soon as Rick asked him to head up the operation, he was all over it. He knew who he wanted on each team and he had them gathered in a meeting within an hour. Another hour later, everyone knew their jobs and what gear they needed to assemble before they headed out.

Lydia was smart and she had led them well. Going on what information she gave, Abe and Tobin went east and found a place to hide their car. They looked for any signs that Lydia, or anyone else, may have come through that way. They were almost at the two-mile mark when Tobin spotted something a little further into the woodline. From where he was standing he wasn’t able to make out what it was. “Abe, three o’clock,” he pointed. They were well hidden and dressed in camo. Abe spotted the slightest movement and pulled out his binoculars. There looked to be no more than about twelve or so of them. They would need to find the rest. Lydia told them that they were a group of about thirty. Abe was sure that they weren’t far off. “Let’s get the fuck out of here while we still have our sacks attached,” he whispered to Tobin. “We know where they are and we’ll be able to track ‘em when we come back.” 

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“Do you really have to go?” Allison asked, pacing with the baby. As soon as Abe came back with word of a location, Rick rallied the troops to head out to annihilate the threat. “Ya know they need me to track. It won’t take us long to get the job done.” She wasn’t happy about any of this, but she understood that it had to be done. The things they did to Lydia were reprehensible and they would do those same things to their women if they got past the gates. Daryl stopped Allison and laid his hands on her arms. “I know you’re worried. I’ll be safe. I gotta get back here to take care of you and our girl, don’t I?” She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “You’ve been out there with me and you know I know how to take care of myself.” Allison sighed unhappily. “I know. It’s just that… I’m just scared.” Being careful of the baby, Daryl held her in his arms. “I know ya are, sweetheart. I have everything in the whole world right here. I’m coming back so we can watch her grow up together while we get old. I promise. You believe me?” He laid his forehead against hers and watched her chin quiver. “Yeah. Of course, I believe you.” 

Daryl kissed his girls and told them how much he loved them. “I’ll be back just as quick as I can.” Allison felt a peaceful calm as she looked at him with his crossbow on his shoulder and his knives on his hips. She’d seen him fight many, many times, and knew that he was more than capable of kicking ass. She knew in her heart that he would come back to her and Nova no matter what. “We love you, too, don’t we Nova?” Daryl stroked his finger on her tiny cheek and she smiled so big. “Ya see that? Her very first smile!” He was the proudest, happiest man in the world. “You save those smiles for when Daddy gets back. Daddy loves you, darlin’.” Shit. This was hard and if he didn’t go now, he wasn’t going to be able to. Just as he turned to leave, he felt a hand on his arm. It was from Lydia. She had tears in her eyes. “I just wanted to say thanks, you know, for doing this.” Daryl gave her a nod and laid his hand over hers. “You’re one of us now. You’re home.” He started to turn, but she surprised them by hugging him. 

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Daryl, Rick, and Abraham each lead a part of the team. They found the group in a wooded area that backed up to a rocky mountain base. That was a clear advantage for the Alexandrians. It meant that the group could only move in three directions, so each team moved in from each side and head-on. Quick and quiet was the rule. Get in, get this done as fast as possible, and get the fuck back out. Abraham led the team for the head-on assault. Rick and Daryl headed up the teams on each side. The plan was for Abe’s team to get there first, with Daryl and Rick’s coming in only seconds after that way they would strike while everyone scattered and before they had time to make any kind of organized counter-attack. 

As soon as Rick and Daryl heard Abe make contact, their teams rushed in and showed no mercy. Knives and machetes cut, sliced, and stabbed into every person they encountered. It didn’t matter if they were women or men. Every last person in that group was as bad as the next. If even one of them was allowed to live, they could continue to be a danger. 

Team Alexandria had the full advantage of surprise, at first. There were more than a few of the other bastards that got the upper hand a few times. Tobin was knocked onto his ass and had his ribs kicked, but he was able to roll out of the way before he was stabbed. Abe and Daryl took out the men that converged on their fallen men. “Ya alright?” Daryl pulled Tobin back to his feet and quickly looked him over. “I’m good. Thanks.” 

After a brief but brutal attack, the enemy was eliminated. A massive pile of bloody and broken bodies lay in waste all around. Daryl was checking each of the bodies, looking for the one that Lydia described as her mother. She said that her mother shaved her head and called herself Alpha. Abe took down that big son-of-a-bitch called Beta. That particular battle had been hard and Abe was worn out. Rick and the others were taking stock of the weapons they pulled off of the dead. Everyone was distracted with their various tasks and no one saw the shadow darting between the trees. No one saw anything until Daryl was knocked flat and Alpha was on top of him, shrieking like a banshee and stabbing at him wildly. Thank God for Rick’s superior reflexes and aim. Alpha only got Daryl a few times, and none of the wounds were serious, but he knew Allison would have a fit. 

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Allison didn’t sleep at all that night. She was too worried about Daryl and the others. Lydia couldn’t sleep either. Allison took Nova to the living room and turned on the TV. Before long, Lydia joined her. They sat together in the dark living room watching movies to distract themselves from their worries. 

Sometime after the sun came up, Lydia made them some breakfast. “You have to eat. The baby needs it,” she told Allison as she handed her a plate. “Thanks, Lydia. And, thank you for sitting up with me. Having your company made waiting easier. Now, if they would just get back home…” 

The team came through the gates right around noon. Daryl set off at a decidedly determined pace towards home. “Hey, wait up!” Rick called from behind him. He had to jog to catch up even though Daryl was favoring his left side and limping. “You should really stop at the infirmary.” Daryl made a gruff sound and kept walking. “Allison’ll take care of me.” Daryl had dried blood and dirt covering almost every inch of visible skin. “Daryl,” Rick pleaded. “Look, man, I just want to get home and see my girls. I’m fine. Ain’t nothin’ that won’t wash off and can’t be taped up.” He saw the worried look in Rick’s eyes and softened. “I’m good. I’ll see Siddiq if Allison can’t handle it, but you know she’d be crushed if I don’t let her take care of me.” Daryl’s lips turned up on one side and Rick snickered. “Alright. I get it. If you need anything, just send word.” Daryl turned and threw his hand up as he walked home.


	26. Chapter 26

Allison darted to the door as soon as she saw Daryl. “Oh my God! What happened to you?” she asked, frantically checking him over. Lydia came running when she heard voices coming from the foyer. “I’m alright. Nothing too bad,” though he hissed when Allison wrapped her arms around his waist. One of Alpha’s strikes got him right above the scar where one of his bolts went through his side when he was out looking for Sophia so long ago. “Let’s get you in here and clean you up.” Lydia put an arm around one side and Allison on the other and they walked him to the couch. There was the relief of being home that finally allowed Daryl to breathe and relax and the pain from all of his injuries started to set in. 

Lydia ran to get a quilt from her bed and she covered the couch with it. Allison helped Daryl to sit down and then went to get her big first aid bag. She’d stashed a bit of everything in the backpack that way she could treat some of the more serious injuries while on the run if the situation ever arose. “Where’s my baby girl?” Daryl asked as she dug through her supplies. “Right there,” Allison tipped her head to the Moses basket on the coffee table. “Let me see her.” Getting back to Allison was glorious in its own right, but getting back to his baby girl superseded everything. Allison nodded with a little smile and brought the basket over to the couch next to him. His heart melted like it did the very first moment he saw her. She was tiny and perfect and it made him feel like nothing he would ever be able to put into words. “Hi, beautiful girl. Daddy told you he’d be home soon. I missed you so much.” 

“Honey, we need to get you cleaned up so I can suture these wounds,” Allison told him. He was so tired and sore that he didn’t want to move. Plus, he was content to just sit there and look at his daughter. “Come on,” Allison implored. “I’ll put her on the bed beside you when I stitch you up.” Daryl supposed that was a fair compromise and groaned as he stood up. 

Allison sat him down in the tub and used the handheld showerhead to rinse him off. The warm water eased his aching muscles and even though it stung his broken skin, it felt good. “How’d it go?” she asked as she gently massaged shampoo into his hair. “We got ‘em all. Alpha hid back and she got me a little while we were checking each other over and shit. Rick shot her. Lydia ain’t got anything to worry about anymore.” She eased his head back so she could rinse out the suds. “Maybe that will help her find the peace she needs to start to rebuild herself,” Allison replied. Daryl agreed. “Kid needs to know she’s got a home and people who are gonna take care of her.” She carefully and tenderly started to scrub away the dirt and blood from his skin and kissed a clean spot on his bicep. “You want her to live here with us and be part of our family, don’t you?” His blue eyes sparkled and he chewed on his bottom lip, giving her a nod. “Yeah, I do. We should be her family. What d’ya think?” “I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

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Daryl woke up a long time later. Allison gave him some kind of painkiller and it finished knocking him on his ass. Before he succumbed to his exhaustion, he got to cradle his precious daughter and smell her sweet scent. He sat up in the dark bedroom and rubbed his eyes. His stomach growled loudly and he caught the scent of food wafting up the stairs. That must have been what woke him. It had been more than a day since he last ate, and now that they were all used to eating on the regular, they all noticed when they missed a meal. Allison had laid out a clean shirt and pajama pants for him so he wouldn’t have to dig for something when he got up. 

Allison and Lydia were setting food on the table when he came down. They looked happy and Lydia went over to help him to a chair. “I’m alright,” he rasped. “Well, you helped me, so I’m gonna help you.” He grumbled, though he grinned and winked at her. “Thanks.” Allison set a plate of food in front of him and poured him a glass of iced tea. “I want to hold my baby,” he told Allison as he kissed her hand. “I’ll get her for you.” She pressed a tender kiss to his lips and brought him their baby. Nova was awake and looking around. “Hi there, baby girl,” he cooed. “Daddy loves you so much. Were you good for mommy?” Nova stared up at her daddy as he continued talking to her. “I bet you were. Daddy is gonna get to be home to spoil you for a bit. How does that sound?” Nova made those precious little baby sounds that made his heart skip a beat every time he heard them. “Yeah? You like havin’ your old man around?” 

Daryl finally agreed to let Allison take Nova so he could eat. They needed to talk to Lydia. “So, Daryl and I wanted to discuss something with you,” Allison started. “You’ve had to endure some of the worst things that anyone could. Daryl and I want you to get to have a better life. We want to see you live and thrive and be happy. We want you to live here with us. We want to be your family. We can help teach you what you need to know, we can help you deal with your trauma, but most of all, we can show you love.” Lydia broke down, overwhelmed with emotion. Allison went to her and held her while she cried. “It’s alright, sweetie. I know it’s a lot to take in and you don’t have to answer right now. You can…” Lydia turned her tearstained face up to Allison. “I want to stay here. I-I just don’t know how to thank you. You don’t know me, but you’ve done more for me in just a few days than anyone has in my whole life. I don’t want to screw up, but I’m afraid I will.” Daryl reached over and squeezed her hand. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. We’ll help ya figure everything out. If it gets to be too much, just talk to us. We’ll work it all out. You have a problem with anybody or anything, just come to us and we’ll figure it out together. It’s gonna be alright, kid. You’re safe and you’re home.” 

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It was early October and the new family of four was still adjusting. Nova was now six weeks old and sleeping a bit better during the night, which Allison was eternally grateful. Carol insisted that they should have a community celebration for Daryl and Allison’s birthdays, as well as Lydia joining their family. 

“Come on,” Carol begged. “We could always use a celebration around here. Allison and Daryl were both more than content to let their birthdays pass without more than a mention from one another, but Carol could be persuasive when she wanted to be. Lydia had made huge progress by getting comfortable with her new family and with the people in Alexandria. Lately, she’d been having some emotional issues. Specifically, with anger. Allison wanted a chance to talk with Daryl and Lydia before she committed to anything. “I’ll talk with them tonight at dinner. That’s the best I can give you.” Carol smiled happily and told Allison she’d stop by later and get the verdict. “Is it ok if I give Nova kisses before I head out?” “Of course,” Allison smiled. “She loves her Auntie Carol.” Nova was beginning to hold her head up a little during tummy time and anytime she was on her daddy’s chest. She was all smiles all the time now, too. “Hello, Ms. Nova. How’s my sweet girl today?” Nova grinned and her little dimples sank in her chubby cheeks. She made happy little cooing sounds that made Carol’s heartache just a little. She remembered Sophia being this little and all of those big, precious toothless grins. “I hear that daddy has spoiled you.” Allison groaned. “If spoiled was all it was. This girl has her daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger.” Carol couldn’t help but laugh. In some ways, it was hard to imagine Daryl as a father at all, but then again, he’d always been good with all of the kids in the group. 

Daryl was playing with Nova while Allison finished up dinner. He’d gone out early that morning to hunt and brought back a big boar. “Where’s Lydia?” he asked, noting that she was always home before it was dark. “She’s having a hard day. She’s in her room.” Allison didn’t sound quite like herself and Daryl had a suspicion about it. “What happened?” “It’s nothing. She just needed some space and time to deal with things.” Daryl grabbed her hand when she put his plate on the table. “Talk to me, sweetheart.” Allison let out a breath and sat down. “She got angry with me. It’s really nothing.” She really just wanted to let it go and not have Daryl getting upset with Lydia, but the look on his face made it clear that was not going to be the case. 

After Carol left, Allison started cleaning the house. When she asked Lydia if she would help her with laundry, Lydia snipped at her. “So, is that the price I have to pay for living here? I’m the live-in maid?” Allison was taken aback and didn’t know what to say at first. “What? No, Lydia. I… Do Daryl and I make you feel that way?” Lydia wouldn’t talk to her after that. She helped with the laundry until Allison told her that she could go to her room if she was more comfortable being there. She stormed off and slammed her door behind her and hadn’t come out since. 

Daryl looked pissed. They were taking care of Lydia and the very least she could do is pitch in and help around the house. That’s what you do as a family. Daryl often washed dishes and folded laundry and swept floors. There was no call for her to talk to Allison that way and he wasn’t having it. “Take the baby. I’m gonna get her for dinner.” 

Lydia cracked her door and saw Daryl standing there. “C’mon. Dinner’s on the table.” His voice was firm and his expression was serious. “Not hungry,” she replied and started to close her door. Daryl stopped it with his boot. “Tough. Allison made dinner for all of us. You’re eatin’ so let’s go.” Lydia huffed angrily and rolled her eyes as she stomped past Daryl. Allison watched as she slung the chair back and dropped onto it. “You want some iced tea, Lydia?” she offered and was met with silence. “Lydia, Allison asked you a question, ya best answer it.” Lydia didn’t look up but she quietly said “yes, please.” 

“Listen, I’m sorry if I sounded bossy today, or if we’ve made you feel like a maid. We never meant to. I just thought since you were hanging around here that we could work on laundry together and it would give us a chance to talk.” Her shoulders shook as she began to cry. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I get so angry and I don’t know why and I end up taking it out on you guys. I’m not mad at you, but I don’t feel like I have control when I get that mad. It's like I can’t stop from saying mean nasty things. I would never physically lose control, I swear.” Allison hugged her and wiped her tears away. “Honey, you’ve been through so much. Of course, you’re going to have anger. Daryl and I get that better than anyone. You can talk to us when you start to have these feelings.”

“Why don’t you come huntin’ with me in the morning? I think it might do ya some good to get out and start learnin’ something new.” Daryl made the offer with the intent of having her in his element so he could talk to her in his own way. Daryl, better than anyone, could understand the lingering anger. It had taken him years to learn how to process and deal with it. He knew a few tricks that might help, plus, she might actually be good at tracking and hunting. Lydia looked at Daryl with shock. “I thought you hunted alone?” “I was supposed to teach Allison, but we made a rule about both of us being outside the walls since Nova came along. Whaddya say?” She smiled and agreed. Daryl grinned back. “Better eat up. You’re gonna need it if you’re gonna keep up with me.”

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Daryl and Lydia headed out while it was still dark. The area he was taking her was mostly safe and he’d been there the day before, so he was reasonably sure that they wouldn’t run into very much trouble. Lydia was good with a rifle, he’d take her out for gun training a few times. She was better with a rifle than she was with a handgun, but her real skill was with knives. Before they headed out, he armed her with a shotgun because they were specifically going after turkeys. He didn’t really expect her to shoot anything today. His main reason for bringing her was so they could talk. 

“I know what you’re feelin’,” he told her as they walked. They had been quiet for a good while and she knew that you had to be as silent as possible so you didn’t scare off the prey. “My parents were both drunks. My brother ‘n me grew up hard. Most nights we went to bed hungry because one of ‘em spent all the money on booze.” Daryl looked ahead as he told her his story. It still was too much for him to take when he saw pity in anyone’s eyes. “My old man was a mean bastard. He’d get pissed off about somethin’ and take it out on Merle or me. Merle started doin’ stents in juvie for doin’ stupid shit, and my dad would take everything out on me.” Lydia didn’t know what to say. He and Allison had been telling her all along that they knew what she was feeling, that they got it, but she didn’t think anyone really could. Now, she was learning that she had been wrong. “One of his favorite things was a switch. Guess it got me to scream for him the way he liked or something. Hell, who knows what goes on in their minds when they’re beatin’ their kids.”

Daryl stopped in a clearing where they could see all around them enough to be safe. “Sit with me,” he invited. They sat down in the dewy grass and Daryl thought for a minute how to explain to her the way he finally came to his moment of awakening. “Merle was with me in the beginning, after the turn. We went from camp to camp, stealing all their shit and moving on. Him and me, we were gonna rob the people we’re with now, but I got tired of it. They seemed like good people and I talked him into stickin’ around for a little while. I was tired of all the shit we were doin’. It wasn’t right and it didn’t feel like who I really was. For a long time before the turn, somebody did somethin’ good for me, Gave me a job and a place to live and helped keep me going in the right direction. It was what I needed and that was who I felt like I really was. After I lost Merle, I was still pissed off. It took me a long time to realize that I was pissed off because I had somethin’ good and then the world went to shit, so I went back to the only way I knew. For the first few years I was with this group, I had a hell of a chip on my shoulder. I took everything personal. When shit didn’t go right, I blamed myself for it. But the hardest part for me was that these people cared about me. It pissed me off more than anything that my parents couldn’t give me that. I resented the group because they were the kind of people I deserved to have my whole life. I was carryin’ around all of this anger because of the things that my parents did to me and I was takin’ it out on the wrong people.”

Lydia stared at Daryl with fascination because he was describing exactly what she had been feeling. “So, how did you get over it?” Daryl worried at the patched hole in the knee of his pants. Talking and sharing was never going to be his forte, but the kid needed to hear it so she wouldn’t feel alone anymore. “I still struggle with it some, but the good days outnumber the bad ones. You gotta let yourself be mad when you feel that way, but you gotta open your heart and accept that you can’t change the past. All you can do now is live in the present and focus on what’s ahead.” “Well, the dead are now up and walking around, so what’s ahead?” she scoffed. “I used to think the same way. Now, I have a beautiful woman who loves me and a baby girl that I love more than anything. What’s ahead is what you want it to be. You can choose to live your life dwelling on the past and your anger, or, you can decide that you want to live and be happy. You have to change your way of thinkin’.” Lydia thought about what he was saying as she dug a small hole in front of her with a stick. “It’s just that easy?” Daryl shook his head. “Nah, kid, ain’t none of it easy. It’s somethin’ ya gotta do every single day.”

They sat in silence, both thinking over the things he’d told her. It made sense, really. She wanted to be happy and she wanted the things that he had in his life now, but she was scared. All of the bad things that her mother had programmed into her head for her whole life always came rushing to the forefront anytime something looked like it might be good. “Can you help me to be better?” Daryl pulled her into a side hug. “I got some books that you can have. They had a lot of tips and stuff for dealing with your feelings.” Lydia squirmed uncomfortably. “What? Think you’re too good for books or somethin’?” Lydia looked embarrassed and admitted that she had never learned to read. “Why didn’t ya say somethin’? We should get you in school.” Lydia shook her head. “It’s humiliating that I never learned. It’ll be that much worse to go sit with the little kids while they learn the fucking alphabet!” She immediately regretted snapping, but Daryl got it. “Daryl, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t…” “Stop. You make a good point. What if me ‘n Allison work with you?” “You guys are already doing everything for me. How can I ask you to do anything else?” Lydia’s shoulders sagged and she dropped her gaze to the hole she was still digging. “You can ask us for anything, kid. Told ya, you’re family and family does anything for each other.”


	27. Chapter 27

Daryl and Lydia made it back by early evening just before it started to storm. After their talk, Daryl put her on tracking and hunting duty. He pointed out some tracks that she couldn’t identify, but he told her just to follow them. They didn’t have to go far before she heard the distinctive sound of turkeys and got excited. “Gotta be calm and real quiet or you’ll scare ‘em off,” he whispered. He set a bolt and helped her to hold his crossbow, telling her where to aim. The flock of turkeys moved about, pecking at the ground, and Lydia chose the one she wanted. She led it with the crossbow, Daryl helping her to hold its weight. “Take your time. Don’t rush it.” Lydia took a deep breath and let the bolt fly. It hit the bird and the others scattered. “I did it!” Daryl smiled at how excited she was. “C’mon. Let’s go get it and get back home.”

Allison was thrilled to see Lydia smiling and all but bouncing when they came home. “I got a turkey!” Allison squealed and hugged her. “That’s awesome! I take it that you and Daryl had a good time today? “We did. He helped me to see things better. I’m going to go take a shower, and if it’s ok with you, I’d like to make dinner tonight.” Allison gave her a smile and told her that she would love that. 

Daryl told Allison about his and Lydia’s talk and about her not knowing how to read. “Apparently her mother never put her in school, and then the turn happened, so she never got to learn much of anything. She can’t read and she don’t want to go to school with the little ones. She’s embarrassed as hell. I told her that we’d teach her.” Allison laid her head on his shoulder and rubbed her hand on his thigh. “Of course we’ll teach her. That girl has had a hell of a life, huh?” Daryl chewed on his thumbnail and agreed. “Things will be better for her now. She’s got us.” 

Lydia made a casserole with mashed potatoes, fried chicken, corn, and gravy that Daryl absolutely loved. “Good thing I made so much,” Lydia laughed as Daryl went for a second helping. “It’s really good, Lydia. Thank you for cooking for us.” Daryl plopped back onto the couch and shoveled another bite into his mouth. “Ya cook like this, you can do it anytime you want.” “Thanks, guys. I’m glad you like it.” They decided on eating in the living room and watching a movie together. Things were going really well since Lydia and Daryl went out for their talk/hunt, and they wanted to keep it going. 

It was good to hear Lydia laugh and to see her completely let go of everything bad and simply enjoy herself. It was the perfect way to spend a rainy evening. When the movie ended, Lydia looked at them with a little trepidation. She always got a little anxious anytime she asked for anything because she never knew how it would go with her mother. “Could we maybe watch another movie? I mean, if you don’t want to it’s ok.” Daryl tipped his head to the shelves where the DVDs were and told her to pick one. “You don’t be afraid to ask us anything, kid. Worst that’ll happen is that we say no.” Daryl instantly picked up on her anxiety and wanted to try to alleviate it if he could. “I know. I’m going to work on it,” she replied with a smile. “One day at a time, right?” “Good. Ya listened to me,” teased Daryl.

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Allison slid into bed beside Daryl and moved right up against him. “You’re amazing, you know that?” He looked at her from the side of his eyes. “How d’ya figure that?” Allison rubbed her hand over his belly and chest, “Lydia came back a changed person. You must have made one hell of an impression on her. She even looked like a different person, like she was more relaxed.” Daryl noticed that her hand was moving lower and lower every time it swept over his belly. “Whatcha up to, sweetheart? “ Allison gave him a coy look and stroked her hand over the front of his boxers. “It’s been six weeks and Siddiq said that everything was fine.” 

Daryl turned onto his side and pulled her even closer. “Well, hell, sweetheart. This day just keeps getting better. You sure you’re ready for this?” Allison responded by kissing him. These long weeks were hard. Every time she held their baby, she loved him even more and missed the closeness of intimacy. The love that she felt before was nothing compared to now, especially when he was interacting with Nova and Lydia. She’d been blessed to watch him evolve into the strong, intelligent, caring man that he is now. “I love you so much, Daryl. So much.” Her professions ghosted across his lips and slammed straight to his heart. “I love you, sweetheart. More than anything.” 

He cupped her face with both of his work-worn hands and gazed into her eyes. “You’re my world, Allison. My heart is yours.” “Oh, Daryl,” she sighed, tears stinging her eyes. She crashed her lips to his and told him that her heart was only his, forever. He kissed along the defined line of her jaw and down her neck in a feverish frenzy. “I need you, baby.” Daryl moaned and pushed her underwear past her hips and down her thighs. They didn’t break their kiss as they stripped one another bare. “Touch me,” she pleaded. “I’m not gonna stop, darlin’. Not ever.” He slid a hand under her back and started to unfasten her bra, but she stopped him. “I’ll leak.” “I’ll stop if you really want me to, but I don’t care about that. I’m in love with you and the way your body is and the things it does.” Hesitantly, she nodded. “I’ll stop if it’s too much.” He pulled her bra off of her and tossed it onto the floor. His lips were on the little dip at the bottom of her throat and then slowly trailing down the center of her chest. 

He used his lips and tongue to work her into a state of surrender. He gently nudged her legs apart and moved his hand between them. “Be gentle.” He kissed her hip and whispered a promise. “I’ll never hurt you.” His fingers caressed her, gliding all over her wet folds. “Daryl. Please, baby.” He eased a finger inside and watched her to make sure that he wasn’t hurting her. “I love the way you touch me, baby.” 

He situated himself between her bent knees and Allison stiffened. “What is it? I hurt ya?” She shook her head, but couldn’t make herself meet his eyes. “I’m just… I’m worried that I might look or feel different, you know, down there.” He placed his hand on her thigh and gently pushed her leg. He used both of his hands to part her. “So fuckin’ perfect. You’re beautiful, Allison. Ain’t ever gotta worry about that with me.” He buried his face between his hands and licked her with the flat of his tongue from her entrance to her clit. Allison threaded her fingers into his hair and moaned at the feeling of him. “Daryl, oh Daryl.” Her song went on and on and it only spurred him on. Her hips started to come off of the bed and he laid his hand on her belly to ease her back down. It had been so long since he had been able to touch her in this way. She was so sensitive that she was already right there. Daryl slid a second finger inside and Allison moaned out loud. “C’mon, darlin’. Just let go.” He paused just long enough to talk her down from her self-restraint. Her legs clamped tightly against his shoulders as he continued working her over with his tongue and fingers. “Daryl! I can’t… I can’t…” He tightened his lips around her clit and hummed “mmm-hmm” and it sent her into another convulsive wave of release. 

He rose over the top of her and rubbed a palm over one of her breasts as she continued to shake and moan. “That’s it, baby. Don’t hold back, just let it all go.” He fumbled with the drawer to the nightstand until he finally had it opened and a condom in his hand. He was sad to have to go back to these, but if it meant that he could have Allison, he’d accept it without complaint. 

He hovered over her, the muscles of his strong arms bulging. Allison laid beneath him bonelessly. “You ready, sweetheart?” She put her hand on his jaw and nodded. “Tell me if I hurt ya.” “You won’t,” she smiled. He kept his eyes on her face as he slid into her. He moaned and his eyes fell shut when he was all the way in. He stayed still, breathing hard and trying to pull himself under some sort of control. The feeling was too good and he was afraid of hurting her and having it end in two seconds. “Kiss me,” he heard her say. She pulled him to her lips and moaned into his mouth as he began to move.

Daryl made love to her and it was sweet and loving and gentle. He felt as if he couldn’t get her close enough. “Oh, baby… You feel so good,” Allison cried. He could only respond in choked moans. “Damn… You’re so tight, darlin’...” He moved his arms under her shoulders and held her as if she would drift away. “I love you so much, sweetheart.” Allison’s brow peaked and she breathed hard against his sweat-dampened skin. “More, Daryl. Please, baby. I need… I’m gonna…” Her fingernails bit into the flesh of his back and red lines showed on his skin. She moved against him, driving him wild. They moved together as one and Daryl watched her shatter into a million pieces in his arms. He pumped wildly into her as she convulsed in ecstasy under his power. Her back bowed and her body pushed up against him. He had to cover her mouth with his hand so she didn’t wake the baby or Lydia. 

Within a few minutes, they were laying side-by-side trying to catch their breath. He took her hand and kissed her palm. “Been missin’ that, baby.” “Me too.” He watched her eyes close and the satisfied smile begin to ease from her lips as she fell asleep safe in his arms. He watched her for a long time, stroking his fingers through her hair. He thought about how she always had trouble sleeping until she was with him. Now, insomnia and the nightmares were very rare and it made him happy to know that he could give her that.

Daryl and Allison were concerned when they came down the following morning and Lydia wasn’t anywhere to be found. “Where could she be?” Allison came out of Lydia’s closet after making sure that her clothes and other belongings were still there. “I’m gonna go for a walk around and see if I can find her. She can’t be far.” Daryl gave her a quick kiss and headed out to check a few places that he thought she might be. He ran into Abe and asked if he’d seen Lydia. “Yeah, not long ago. She looked like she was heading to Liv’s place.” “Thanks, man. If you see her again, let her know we’re lookin’ for her.” “Will do,” Abe agreed with a wave as he headed for his watch shift. Daryl headed in the direction of Olivia’s, trying to think of why she would have gone there. 

Lydia saw Daryl coming and there was nowhere to hide the box in her hand. There were no bags that she could in Olivia’s garage, so she grabbed the box of tampons and hoped to get home without running into anyone. She really didn’t want to have this talk with Daryl so she tucked the box behind her back. “Hey,” Daryl called out to her. “Where’d you go?” She gave him a nervous smile and hoped that she could blow him off. “Hey. I just needed something from Olivia’s. You and Allison were still sleeping so I just made a quick trip.” Daryl was still a little cautious because they really did not know the girl. “Whatcha got?” Her eyes went wide and she started to stammer. “Ummm, it’s kinda personal.” He eyed her suspiciously. “What are ya hidin’?” Daryl reached out a hand, silently asking for what she had. Lydia huffed out a breath and put the box of tampons in his hand. “Happy now? I was trying to be discreet, but you just had to know! I thought you were starting to trust me. Look, I know that you don’t know me, but you trust me enough to live in your house with your family, you could have given me the benefit of the doubt.” She stormed off towards home, leaving Daryl standing on the sidewalk with a box of tampons in his hand.

Lydia stormed past Allison and locked herself in her room. Daryl came in a few minutes later and looked perturbed. “What happened?” Allison asked, concerned. He just held up the box and went to Lydia’s door. “Hey, kid. Can I come in? Please.” He waited, thinking that she wasn’t going to let him in and was about to walk away when she opened her door. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shoulda showed you more trust than I did.” Daryl got right to it as soon as she opened the door. She stepped back and invited him into her room. He sat on the side of her bed and offered her back her feminine hygiene items and apologized again. “Look, I trust ya. I embarrassed you and made an ass of myself. If you give me another chance, I’ll find a way to make it up to ya.” She finally looked him in the eyes and he felt a bit of the pressure lift. “You mean that?” “I do.” “I want to go hunting again. I want to learn how to do what you do. Plus, I kinda like talking to you even if you were a jerk.” Daryl snorted and bumped her shoulder with his. “You got it, kid.”


	28. Chapter 28

2 years later

“It’s time for bed, Nova,” Daryl told his daughter. They were sitting on the soft carpet in the room that would have served as a den in another life, but now it was Nova’s playroom. Her blond hair was pulled up in two little pigtails on each side of her head. Carol had sewn her a little vest, complete with angel’s wings on the back, and Nova insisted on wearing it all the time. “D’ya hear me, Nova?” The little one willfully ignored her daddy. When she didn’t want to do something, she was especially stubborn. “Nova,” Daryl said in a sing-song voice as he started to tickle her. Her little giggles filled the room and made him laugh. “It’s time for bed, baby girl.” She turned and narrowed her eyes at him, and, boy, did she ever look like Daryl! “I not seepy, Daddy! We pway some more!” Daryl tried to grab her, but she pulled away, shaking her head. “I not seepy!” 

Allison stood in the doorway, watching their tiny terror give her daddy a dose of hell about going to bed. She covered her mouth to hide her laughter. “What if I read you a bedtime story?” Nova was back at the dollhouse that one of the guys at Hilltop made for her. “No!” “What if we watch a cartoon?” Nova stopped and looked at him like she was trying to decide if this was a trick. “You have to be real still and quiet, though.” “Smurfs!” Daryl closed his eyes and sighed. He hated the Smurfs almost as much as he hated Barbie cartoons, but if it would settle her down and get her to sleep, he’d suffer through it. “A’right. Smurfs it is. We need to comb your hair and brush your teeth first.” 

Allison loved watching Daryl and Nova together. She was so much like her father it wasn’t funny. She rubbed her hand over her big belly as the baby kicked. This time they were having a boy. They accidentally found out when Siddiq was doing an ultrasound. The baby was turned just right and his legs were spread wide apart like he just wanted them to know he was a boy. She and Daryl were still in negotiations over names, but secretly, Allison already decided that Daryl would name this baby as well. He put so much thought into the meaning of their children’s names she wanted him to have the honors. 

Soon, Daryl and little Nova were on the couch, she was cuddled up on Daryl’s lap hugging her favorite blanket while Daryl lightly rubbed the top of her head. That always put her right to sleep. Allison turned on Smurfs for them and sat down, putting her feet up. Life was good. They had their little, growing family and there were fewer and fewer walkers to contend with. The community continued to prosper and learn how to be more self-sufficient since everything they could scavenge in close proximity already had been. There were still groups that went out further on a regular basis, but they were learning to live with what they had and how to make new replacements for what they couldn’t get. 

Lydia had grown a lot in the two years since she joined the Dixon household. She and Daryl hunted together a lot and she was as good as he was now. She just started talking to a boy her age that was new to Alexandria, much to Daryl’s extreme displeasure. He wasn’t Lydia’s father, but he took to the role just the same. Deep down, he had her best interests at heart and until he knew what this punk’s intentions were, he didn’t like him. Allison did, though. She thought Alden was sweet and that he would be good for Lydia. He was always polite and respectful and Allison thought that it showed that he was raised well and that he could help Lydia continue learning what having a real family really means. She and Daryl would always be her family, but she had hope that Lydia would find love, get married, and have children that she raised with love and gentleness. 

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Nathan Storm Dixon came into the world during one of the worst storms anyone had ever been through. Daryl was an absolute wreck between trying to care for and comfort Allison and making sure that the house wasn’t about to blow away. They came out of it relatively unscathed, but it had been terrifying at times. 

Daryl knew as soon as they found out they were having a boy that he wanted to name him Nathan for Allison’s brother. When he told her his name, she cried. “I think your brother would want you to know that he’s always with you, and now you have a little more of him here.” Allison sobbed as she held their baby boy in her arms. It meant so much to her that Daryl wanted him to have Nate’s name. 

Daryl and Allison got to watch their children grow and have children of their own. The world was a much simpler place than it was before the turn, but it felt like it was the way it was meant to be.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end of this story, but I have another multi-chapter Daryl love story that I'll start posting tomorrow. Thank you so much to everyone who read, commented, & left kudos. I truly appreciate each & every one of you!


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